Air Masses & Weather Fronts Study Guide

What is an air mass?

• Huge body of air with similar temperature, humidity and air pressure

• A small pocket of water vapor in the atmosphere

• A type of cloud formation

• A layer of rock beneath the Earth's surface

Tropical air mass: ________

• From warm area (equator) LOW Pressure

• From cold area (poles) HIGH Pressure

• From mountains HIGH Pressure

• From desert area LOW Humidity

Polar air mass: ________

• From Cold area (poles) HIGH Pressure

• From Warm area (tropics) LOW Pressure

• From Desert area MODERATE Pressure

• From Ocean area VARIABLE Pressure

Continental air mass: ________

• Over Land, tends to be drier

• Over Ocean, tends to be humid

• Over Mountains, tends to be cooler

• Over Forests, tends to be wetter

Maritime air mass: ________

• Over Water, humid, filled with moisture

• Over land, dry, little moisture

• Over mountains, cold, dry

• Over deserts, hot, dry

mT: ________

• Over water, humid (moisture), from warm area (equator) LOW Pressure

• Over land, dry (no moisture), from cold area (poles) HIGH Pressure

• Over mountains, dry (no moisture), from high altitude LOW Pressure

• Over desert, hot and dry, from warm area (equator) HIGH Pressure

mP: ________

• Over water, humid (moisture), from cold areas (poles) HIGH Pressure

• Over land, dry, from warm areas (tropics) LOW Pressure

• Over water, dry, from warm areas (tropics) LOW Pressure

• Over land, humid (moisture), from cold areas (poles) LOW Pressure

cP: ________

• Over land, dry, from cold areas (poles) HIGH Pressure

• Over ocean, moist, from warm areas (tropics) LOW Pressure

• Over land, moist, from warm areas (tropics) LOW Pressure

• Over ocean, dry, from cold areas (poles) HIGH Pressure

cT: ________

• Over land, dry, from warm areas (equator) LOW Pressure

• Over ocean, moist, from cold areas (poles) HIGH Pressure

• Over land, moist, from cold areas (poles) LOW Pressure

• Over ocean, dry, from warm areas (equator) HIGH Pressure

Global Winds: ________

• Bands of air known as the Polar Easterlies, Prevailing Westerlies and Trade Winds

• Currents of water that flow in the deep ocean

• Layers of the Earth's crust that move tectonic plates

• Streams of magma beneath the Earth's surface