Please find this page in your notes toward the end Air Masses Please find this page in your notes toward the end

Air Masses Air Mass: a large volume of air with about the same temperature, humidity, and pressure throughout

air masses influence weather conditions *Build up for a few days and then drift across Earth’s surface due to wind. air masses influence weather conditions *Take on the conditions of the region it forms over and covers

Air masses formed over land are dry/low humidity; those formed over water are moist/high humidity. Those formed over warm regions are warm; those formed over cold regions are cold.

Continental c Tropical T Maritime m Polar P HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Continental c Tropical T Maritime m Polar P

Continental c land Maritime m HUMIDITY Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Continental c land Maritime m

Continental c land dry Maritime m HUMIDITY Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Continental c land dry Maritime m

Continental c land dry Maritime m water HUMIDITY Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Continental c land dry Maritime m water The prefix mar- means “sea” Maritime Marine Land Marine Mariner Frutti di Mare (seafood dish)

Maritime m water moist/humid HUMIDITY Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Continental c land dry Maritime m water moist/humid The prefix mar- means “sea” Maritime Marine Land Marine Mariner Frutti di Mare (seafood dish)

Continental c land dry Tropical T Maritime m water moist Polar P HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Continental c land dry Tropical T Maritime m water moist Polar P

TEMPERATURE Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Tropical T Polar P

Tropical T lower latitude Polar P TEMPERATURE Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Tropical T lower latitude Polar P

Tropical T lower latitude warm Polar P TEMPERATURE Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Tropical T lower latitude warm Polar P Tropical = formed near equator and in tropics region 23.5o N to 23.5 oS

Tropical T lower latitude warm Polar P higher latitude TEMPERATURE Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Tropical T lower latitude warm Polar P higher latitude Polar = formed near poles and in arctic region 66.6 oN

Tropical T lower latitude warm Polar P higher latitude cold TEMPERATURE Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Tropical T lower latitude warm Polar P higher latitude cold

Continental c land dry Tropical T lower latitude warm HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Name Symbol Formed Over Condition Continental c land dry Tropical T lower latitude warm Maritime m water moist Polar P higher latitude cold

Polar Air Masses Formed over cold regions Continental polar air masses: formed over _____, _______ & _______ Symbol – cP Ex) _______________

Polar Air Masses Formed over cold regions Continental polar air masses: formed over land, dry & cold Symbol – cP Ex) ________________

Polar Air Masses Formed over cold regions Continental polar air masses: formed over land, dry & cold Symbol – cP Ex) Canada

Continental polar air masses

Polar Air Masses Formed over cold regions Maritime polar air masses: Maritime polar air masses: formed over ____, ________ & _______ Symbol – mP Ex) ________________ ________________

Polar Air Masses Formed over cold regions Maritime polar air masses: Maritime polar air masses: formed over water, moist/humid & cold Symbol – mP Ex) ________________ ________________

Polar Air Masses Formed over cold regions Maritime polar air masses: formed over water, moist/humid & cold Symbol – mP Ex) North Atlantic Ocean North Pacific Ocean

Maritime polar air masses

Tropical Air Masses Formed near the tropics (equator) Continental tropical air masses: formed over tropical ___, _____ & _____ Symbol – cT Ex) _______________

Tropical Air Masses Formed near the tropics (equator) Continental tropical air masses: formed over tropical land, dry & warm Symbol – cT Ex) _______________

Tropical Air Masses Formed near the tropics (equator) Continental tropical air masses: formed over tropical land, dry & warm Symbol – cT Ex) Northern Mexico Texas

Continental tropical air masses

Tropical Air Masses Formed near the tropics (equator) Maritime tropical air masses: formed over oceans, ______ & ________ Symbol – mT Ex) __________________, __________________, __________________

Tropical Air Masses Formed near the tropics (equator) Maritime tropical air masses: formed over oceans, moist & warm Symbol – mT Ex) __________________, __________________, __________________

Tropical Air Masses Formed near the tropics (equator) Maritime tropical air masses: formed over oceans, moist & warm Symbol – mT Ex) Southern Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Mexico Southern Pacific Ocean Caribbean Sea

Maritime tropical air masses

Prevailing Winds Winds that commonly blow in ___________________ at a given latitude Ex) In the U.S. winds typically move from west to east because of the Earth’s rotation Air masses are pushed by the winds and when two air masses that have different conditions (temperature, pressure, humidity) meet then “weather” takes place and unstable, stormy conditions are likely to occur. (Think of Tornado Alley)

Prevailing Winds Winds that commonly blow in the same direction at a given latitude Ex) In the U.S. winds typically move from west to east because of the Earth’s rotation

Prevailing Winds Winds that commonly blow in the same direction at a given latitude Ex) In the U.S. winds typically move from west to east because of the Earth’s rotation Air masses are pushed by the winds and when two air masses that have different conditions (temperature, pressure, humidity) meet then “weather” takes place and unstable, stormy conditions are likely to occur. (Think of Tornado Alley)