1. Air Masses

2. Air mass
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BYSA
*The cause for changes in weather
*large body of air where temperature and moisture content are similar throughout.
*Characterized by their moisture content and temperature
*One air mass hovers over Gulf of Mexico. The mass is warm and wet because it is warm (temp)there with a lot of evaporating water(moisture content) .

3. Types of air masses Maritime-forms over water (wet)
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Maritime-forms over water (wet)
Continental- forms over dry land (dry)
Polar-forms over polar regions (cold)
Tropical-develops over tropics (warm)

4. Continental Polar (cP) Maritime polar (mP)
Cold air masses in US
Maritime polar
Continental Polar (cP)
Maritime polar (mP)

5. Continental Polar *forms over Northern Canada
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
*forms over Northern Canada
*brings extremely cold winter weather to U.S.
*In summer, it brings cool, dry weather

6. Maritime Polar *Forms over North Pacific Ocean *Cool and wet
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
*Forms over North Pacific Ocean
*Cool and wet
*Brings rain and snow in winter to Pacific Coast
*Brings foggy weather in summer to Pacific Coast

7. Maritime polar *Forms over North Atlantic
*cool, cloudy weather and precipitation to New England in winter
*cool and foggy weather to New England in the summer

8. *Maritime Tropical (mT) *Continental Tropical (cT)
Warm air Masses
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
*Maritime Tropical (mT)
*Continental Tropical (cT)

9. Maritime Tropical *develops over warm areas in the Pacific Ocean
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
*develops over warm areas in the Pacific Ocean
*milder than the maritime POLAR air masses that form in the Pacific Ocean
*can develop over warm waters in Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean
*Move North across East Coast and into Midwest
*In summer, it brings hot/humid weather, hurricanes, thunderstorms-think FL
*In winter, it brings mild, cloudy weather-think FL

10. Continental Tropics
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
*forms over deserts of Northern Mexico and Southwestern US
*moves Northward
*brings clear, dry, hot weather in the summer-think AZ (YUCK!!!)