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Air Masses, Fronts, and Storms

Air Masses, Fronts, and Storms. Prof. John Toohey-Morales, CCM St. Thomas University Miami Gardens, Florida. Air Mass Classification. Air mass is an extremely large body of air whose properties of temperature and humidity are fairly similar

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Air Masses, Fronts, and Storms

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  1. Air Masses, Fronts, and Storms Prof. John Toohey-Morales, CCM St. Thomas University Miami Gardens, Florida

  2. Air Mass Classification • Air mass is an extremely large body of air whose properties of temperature and humidity are fairly similar • Classified according to their temperature and humidity

  3. Air Mass Classification • Polar (P) masses originate in polar latitudes • Tropical (T) masses originate in warm tropical regions • Continental (c) masses originate over land • Maritime (m) air masses form over water

  4. Air Mass Behavior • Continental Polar (cP)

  5. Air Mass Behavior • Maritime Polar (mP)

  6. Air Mass Behavior • Maritime Tropical (mT)

  7. Air Mass Behavior • Maritime Tropical (mT)

  8. Air Mass Behavior • Continental Tropical (cT)

  9. Fronts • A transition zone between air masses with different densities, usually separating air masses with contrasting temperatures • Stationary fronts have almost no movement

  10. Finding Fronts • Sharp temperature changes over a relatively short distance • Changes in air moisture content • Shifting winds • Pressure changes • Cloud and precipitation patterns

  11. Go to Visualization Cold Fronts • Has cold, dry polar air replacing warm, moist air • Most move towards the south, southeast or east

  12. Go to Visualization Warm Fronts • Warm, moist air replacing retreating cold air

  13. Go to Visualization Occluded Fronts • Cold front catches up and overtakes the warm front • Most prevalent type of front that moves into the west coast of the U.S.

  14. Go to Visualization Cyclogenesis • Mid latitude cyclones form outside the tropics at mid and high latitudes • In Polar Front Theory, storms form along the polar front • Frontal Wave • Open Wave • Occlusion

  15. Mid Latitude Cyclones

  16. Upper Level Support • Upper level divergence must be greater than the surface convergence for lows to develop and strengthen (need an upper level trough to the west of the surface low) • This leads to a drop in surface pressure and intensification

  17. Upper Level Support (contd.) • Upper level convergence leads to filling of surface lows or building highs (upper trough to the east) • Upper level winds steer the storms

  18. Go to Visualization Upper Level Support (visual)

  19. Go to Visualization Upper Level Support (visual)

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