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NAME ___________________________
Air Mass/Wind/Front Webquest
Website #1 http://www.atmos.illinois.edu/earths_atmosphere/airmasses_fronts.html
1. Air Masses
a. What is an air mass?
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b. Explain the difference between a “continental(c) ” air mass and a “maritime(m)” air
mass.
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c. Explain the difference between a “polar(P)” air mass and a “tropical(T)” air mass.
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2. Air masses are identified by their Moisture content and Temperature, so each air
mass has two letters. Name each air mass and describe it by moisture content and
temperature.
cP =
cT =
mP =
mT =
Using the map on the webpage, label each of the bubbles below. (cP, cT, mP, mT)
Website #2
2. Air pressure http://urbanext.illinois.edu/treehouse/airpressure.cfm?Slide=1 (go to
slides 1-4)
a. What causes an air mass to have a high pressure?
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b. What causes an air mass to have a low pressure?
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c. How does air pressure cause wind?
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Website #3 http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-forecasting.htm
a. In a high ( H) pressure system, wind spins ____________________________.
b. High pressure systems (H), usually bring _____________________________
weather.
c. In a low (L) pressure system, wind spins ____________________________.
d. Low pressure systems (L), usually bring ____________________________
weather.
Website #4 http://www.phschool.com/atschool/phsciexp/active_art/weather_fronts/
(you can adjust the size of the text at the top of the screen-click on the bigger A to
make it bigger!
4. What is a weather front?
Play the Cold front animation and read the information above to answer the questions
below.
a. Which air mass is doing the pushing?
b. What forms when the warm air gets pushed ”up” by the cold air?
c. What kind of clouds form at the frontal boundary?
d. What weather is associated with this cloud type?
Play the Warm Front animation and answer the questions below.
a. Which air mass is doing the pushing?
b. What forms when the warm air rides “up” over the cold air?
c. What kind of clouds form at this frontal boundary?
d. What kind of clouds are at the very front edge of this boundary?
Below you will see on the weather map the symbol for a Cold Front is a Blue line with
Triangles and a Warm Front is a Red line with half-circles. Label the diagram to show
where the cool, dry (cP) air mass and the warm, moist (mT) air mass is in the picture.
a. Along which frontal boundary will thunderstorms
develop?
b. Along which frontal boundary will all-day rain
occur?
Play Stationary Front.
a. What happens to the cold air mass and warm air mass? ________________
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b. What type of weather can be expected at a stationary front? __________
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Search Google to find the weather map symbol for a Stationary Front and draw below.
Website #5: Current weather maps (write the date you look at the map!)
http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/national/weather-surface-maps
a. Where is a Cold Front occurring?
b. Where is a Warm Front occurring?
c. What type of air mass are we currently in? ___________________________
d. What type of pressure system are we currently in? _____________________