Weather and Air Masses

What are air masses?

• Small pockets of air that are stationary

• Large bodies of air that move with similar temperatures and amounts of moisture at any given altitude

• Random fluctuations in the Earth's atmospheric pressure

• Cloud formations that affect local weather patterns

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

How are air masses classified?

• By their temperature

• According to their source region

• By their altitude

• By their pressure

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

What are the characteristics of a continental polar (cP) air mass?

• Warm and moist

• Hot and dry

• Dry and cool

• Cold and moist

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

What type of air mass is described as dry and warm/hot?

• Maritime polar (mP)

• Maritime tropical (mT)

• Continental polar (cP)

• Continental tropical (cT)

What types of air masses influence the weather in North America?

• Continental tropical and maritime polar

• Maritime tropical and continental polar

• Maritime tropical and maritime polar

• Continental polar and continental tropical

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Which type of precipitation is associated with continental polar air masses (cP)?

• Heavy rainfall

• Lake-effect snow

• Tropical storms

• Monsoons

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Where do maritime polar air masses (mP) typically come from?

• North Atlantic

• North Pacific

• South Pacific

• South Atlantic

What weather conditions are commonly associated with maritime polar air masses (mP)?

• Clear skies and dry weather

• High clouds and light rain

• Low clouds and showers

• Sunny and hot temperatures

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

What is a characteristic of maritime tropical air masses (mT)?

• Cold with low humidity

• Warm with moisture

• Dry and stable

• Cool and dry

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

How are maritime tropical air masses (mT) usually described in terms of stability?

• Stable

• Unstable

• Constant

• Variable

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5