1. Draw a picture of the fronts symbols & what is occurring
Understanding Fronts
Draw a picture of the fronts symbols & what is occurring
Copy the notes in red

2. Air Masses
An air mass is a large body of air with very similar temperature & humidity.
Air masses are named based on the region where it develops

3. Types of Air Masses Polar continental – cold and dry air mass
Temperature
Humidity
Polar (cold)
Continental (dry)
Tropical (warm)
Maritime (humid)
Polar continental – cold and dry air mass
Polar maritime – cold and wet air mass
Tropical continental – warm and dry air mass
Tropical maritime – warm and wet air mass

4. What is a Front?
Definition: where two air masses meet

5. Types of Fronts
Cold
Warm
Stationary
Occluded

6. Cold Front When cold air pushes warm air back
Draw this symbol!
When cold air pushes warm air back
Marked on a map with a blue line and triangles pointing towards the warm air.
Brings thunderstorms – then cooler air

7. Cold Front Simple 3-D idea:

8. Cold Front

9. Cold Front
An animation:
Draw this diagram!

10. Warm Front When warm air pushes cold air back
Draw this symbol!
When warm air pushes cold air back
Marked on a map by a red line with red semi-circles pointed towards the cool air (in the direction the warm air is moving.)
Brings stratus type clouds, and rain or snow.

11. Warm Front Simple 3-D idea:

12. Warm Front

13. Warm Front
An animation:
Draw this diagram!

14. Stationary Front
Draw this symbol!
When two air masses meet, but stay mostly still (Neither is pushing the other back)
Marked by alternating blue lines & triangles and red lines & semi-circles
Brings rainy weather

15. Occluded Front
Signals a fast approaching cold front (very cold air meets cold air)
Marked by a purple line with alternating triangles and semi-circles pointing in the direction of the frontal movement.
Steady rain, then colder weather.

16. Occluded Front Simple 3-D idea: Draw this diagram!

17. Occluded Front

18. Journal Questions
What are the four types of air masses? (think humidity and temperature)
What type of air mass do you think would develop over Alaska? (Hint: two words)
What type of air mass do you think would develop over the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii? (Hint: two words)

19. Journal Questions cont.
4. What type of front occurs when warm air pushes back cold air?
5. What type of front is associated with thunderstorms and then cooler weather.
6. Label the four symbols for the four types of fronts.