Air and Weather

Air and the Sun

What do you know already about warm and cold air?

Continental and Maritime Air Masses: What does the word continental make you think of? Continent: of or forming over land. These air masses form dry weather. What does the word maritime make you think of? Maritime or Marine: of or forming over water. These air masses are moist.

Tropical and Polar Air Masses: If I were to go on a tropical vacation, what might I need to take with me? I would take warm weather clothes, sun block, and lots of water!!! This is because tropical air masses forms near the equator and moves toward the poles. If I were to go on a polar vacation, what might I need to take with me? I would take a large coat, warm pants, scarves, hats, and gloves. I would enjoying drinking hot chocolate to warm myself. This is because polar air masses form near the poles and travel toward the equator.

When air masses move and collide with one another... Fronts are formed!

WARM FRONTS A warm front is when a warm air mass catches up to a cold air mass. (Just the opposite of a cold front.) Warm air slides over the cold, dense air. This also causes clouds to form, but many miles ahead of the front. As the front approaches and passes it can cause steady rain or snow to fall. After all of this happens, the sky becomes clear (without clouds) and this is also when the temperature starts to rise (get higher).

tschool/phsciexp/active_art/ weather_fronts/

COLD FRONTS ** A cold front forms when a cold air mass catches up to a warm air mass. **Colder air forces the warm air higher into the atmosphere. **This warm air that is pushed up cools and forms clouds. This reaction causes rain to develop and thunderstorms also occur along a cold front.

Cold Front vs. Warm Front Cold fronts produce weather that is more intense or severe than warm fronts because they move faster than warm fronts; all the warm air is being shoved up into the atmosphere at a quick rate, allowing for cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds to form and thunderstorms to develop. Warm fronts move much slower; the warm is rising at a much slower rate, allowing for stratus clouds to form ahead of the approaching front. Video Review: vid=vPC5i6w3yDI&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotatio n_ vid=vPC5i6w3yDI&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotatio n_

Front Map Symbols Cold Front Symbol Warm Front Symbol Stationary Front Symbol (This is the local weather forecast from 11/15. How many front symbols can you spot?)

Exit Ticket 1.What is a front? 2.Compare and contrast a warm front, cold front, and stationary front. (Hint: Think about what types of air masses are involved in each one and the weather each one brings).