1. WARM-UP Which type of air is more dense, warm air or cold air?
Complete the boxes below by using your answer from #1. What would the air particles look like in cold vs. warm air?
3. Which block above do you think would be stronger or have more “power?”
Cold Air
Warm Air
Ideas: Give each student a section and have them look up the information and then describe the item to class.

2. Objective
We will be able to describe the weather patterns associated with warm and cold fronts

3. Agenda Warm Up Fronts Notes Practice Charlotte weather tracker
Exit Ticket

4. Quote of the Day
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of will.” ~Vincent T. Lombardi

5. Quick Review

6. Layers of the Atmosphere
Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere

7. Air Masses Notes Air mass:
a large body of air with similar temperatures and amount of moisture
As it moves, the characteristics of the air mass change and so does the weather in the area

8. What is an air mass? This slide doesn’t go in your notes
An air mass is a large body of air that has similar temperature and moisture throughout
An air mass gets its temperature and moisture from the area over which it forms (for example: any air mass that develops over the Gulf of Mexico will be warm and wet because the Gulf of Mexico is warm and wet)

9. Air Masses Moisture of source Temperature of source
Continental: forms over land (DRY)
Maritime: forms over water (HUMID)
Temperature of source
Polar: forms in polar area (COLD)
Tropical: forms in tropical area (WARM)
Arctic: forms over the arctic ocean (COLD)

10. Practice – Complete the chart based on what you just learned.
Air Mass
Abbreviation
Description
Continental Polar
Maritime Tropical
Maritime Polar
Continental Tropical
Continental Artic
Maritime Artic

11. Air Masses
Continental Polar (cP) Air Mass – Air masses that form over cold, dry land
Maritime Tropical (mT) Air Mass - Air masses that form over warm water
Maritime Polar (mP) Air Mass - Air masses that form over cold water.
Continental Tropical (cT) Air Mass - Air masses that form over warm, dry land

12. Types of Air Masses Arctic Air (A) – originates from the Arctic Ocean
Continental Arctic (cA): Produces extremely cold temperatures and very little moisture. It originates over the Arctic Ocean in winter.
Maritime Arctic (mA): From the same source, but less dry and less cold!

13. Types of Air Masses
Polar Air (P) – originates from both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
Continental Polar (cP): Cold and dry air that originates from high latitudes. This type of air brings the cold, dry and clear weather on perfect winter days and the dry and warm weather on summer days!
Maritime Polar (mP): Cool and moist – the air moves over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This type of air is unstable which usually results in showers over the sea and windward coasts (like the West Coast).

14. Types of Air Masses
Tropical Air (T) – originating from the southern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
Continental Tropical (cT): Hot and very dry – it comes from the arid (dry) and desert regions during the summer.
Maritime Tropical (mT): Mild and damp in winter, very warm and muggy during the summer.

15. Where would the 6 different air masses originate?
mA, mT, mP, cP, cT, cA
In your notes draw the picture and where the different air masses would be located. Use blue for cold air masses and red for warm air masses.

18. Fronts The boundary that separates two air masses when they meet
There are 4 types of fronts…

19. ACTIVITY Type of Front Description of Front Draw a picture of symbol
Description of Weather that occurs during this type of front.
Warm Front
Cold Front
Occlude Front
Stationary Front
Large posters to demonstrate the different frontal systems.

20. Warm Fronts Warm air mass meets and rises above cold air mass
slow and steady rain followed by hot, humid weather
Gentle/slower formation

21. Cold Fronts Cold air masses pushes under warm air mass forms faster
Heavy rains and violent thunderstorms, followed by fair, cool weather
Steeper/quicker formation

22. FAST FACT
40 to 50 percent of body heat can be lost through the head (no hat) as a result of its extensive circulatory network.

23. Occluded Fronts
Cold front moves faster and passes warm front, wedges warm air upward
Complex; Heavy rains followed by light precipitation for several days (mix of cold and warm front weather)

24. Like a horse race!! (Which rider represents a cold air mass and which represents a warm air mass?)

25. Stationary Fronts
Front does not move b/c air flows parallel to front line
Gentle to moderate precipitation

26. What’s the difference between a warm front and a cold front?
Which forms faster, a warm front or a cold front?
What type of weather is associated with warm fronts?
What type of weather is associated with cold fronts?
What happens at a stationary front?

27. Exit Ticket Time
What type of boundary is illustrated in the map to the right?
What type of weather will Charlotte be experiencing?
Draw and label the frontal boundary symbol for warm fronts and occluded fronts.

28. Practice with a Partner

29. METEOROLOGIST CHALLENGE
Think you can do it???

31. http://willardscience7. pds. wikispaces. net/file/view/curw x_600x405
x_600x405.jpg/ /curwx_600x405.jpg