Weather Fronts and Air Masses

Front

What is a cold front?

Back

A cold front is a boundary between a cold air mass and a warm air mass, where the cold air pushes under the warm air, often leading to precipitation.

Front

What is a warm front?

Back

A warm front is a boundary where a warm air mass meets a cold air mass, causing the warm air to rise over the cold air, typically resulting in gradual precipitation.

Front

What is a stationary front?

Back

A stationary front occurs when two air masses meet and neither is strong enough to replace the other, leading to prolonged weather conditions.

Front

What is an occluded front?

Back

An occluded front forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front, lifting the warm air mass off the ground, often resulting in complex weather patterns.

Front

What is precipitation?

Back

Precipitation is any form of water, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, that falls from clouds to the Earth's surface.

Front

How does temperature affect air's moisture capacity?

Back

Warmer air can hold more moisture than cooler air, which is why hot days can lead to increased humidity.

Front

What weather is typically associated with a cold front?

Back

Cold fronts often bring sudden temperature drops, thunderstorms, and heavy rain.

Front

What weather is typically associated with a warm front?

Back

Warm fronts usually bring gradual increases in temperature and long-lasting, steady rain.

Front

What is the role of air masses in weather?

Back

Air masses are large bodies of air with uniform temperature and humidity that influence weather patterns when they move.

Front

What happens when a warm air mass meets a cold air mass?

Back

When a warm air mass meets a cold air mass, it can lead to the formation of fronts, resulting in various weather conditions.