1. Unit 8 Lesson 4 Air Masses Identify the characteristics of different air masses Predict how air masses affect weather in the US

2. Air Masses
A large body of air in the troposphere with similar characteristics of temperature, moisture, and pressure.

4. Characteristics Continental = dry Maritime = wet Artic/Polar = Cold
Tropical = Warm

6. Continental Arctic (cA)
Formed over land
Very cold
Dry
Found over arctic Canada

8. Continental Polar (cP)
Formed over land
Cold
Dry
Found over central Canada

10. Continental Tropical (cT)
Formed over land
Warm
Dry
Found over Mexico or southwestern US

13. Maritime Tropical (mT)
Formed over water
Warm
Wet
Found over Gulf of Mexico

16. Maritime Polar (mP) Formed over water Cold Wet
Found over North Atlantic or North Pacific

17. ESRT HUNT! Find the air masses on your ESRT!!!
Page 13

18. Extend
Summarize the different kinds of air masses

19. Lake Effect Snow What happens when cold air from Canada meets the great lakes?

20. Lake effect snow
Cold air moves over the great lakes (that have a warm surface)
The air is warmed and picks up water vapor.
As the warmer, more humid air rises it begins to condense and deposits on the land next to the lake

22. What areas might get lake effect snow
What areas might get lake effect snow? Use page 2 or 3 of your ESRT to help you figure it out.