Download Climate and Weather Vocabulary Part Two Air Mass Large body of

Climate and Weather Vocabulary
Part Two
Air Mass
Large body of air that gets its temperature and humidity from the
land or water over which it forms.
Front
Boundary between 2 different air masses, and usually brings some
type of precipitation.
Cold Front
Rapidly moving cold air overtakes the slower warm air. The warm
air quickly rises allowing water vapor to condense. Thunderstorms
and severe weather are common at these fronts.
Warm Front
Warmer air slowly moves over colder air and replaces it; leads to
long periods of steady rain or snow.
Stationary Front
A cold front and a warm front meet, and neither can move the other
out of the way; creates days and days of the same weather (rain or
dry spells).
Occluded Front
A warm air mass is trapped between a cool air mass and a cold air
mass. The warm air is cut off from the surface. This leads to heavy
rain.
Low Pressure
Systems
Winds blow into low pressure areas. Warm moist air will rise,
causing cloud formation. Weather is usually cloudy or stormy.
High Pressure
Systems
Winds blow away from high pressure areas. Sinking motion of air
makes it difficult for clouds to form. Weather is usually clear and
sunny.
Thunderstorms
Brought by cumulonimbus clouds.
Tornadoes
Violent, whirling winds that form over land.
Hurricanes
Large, swirling storms that form over the ocean. They are the most
powerful storms. Warm, moist air must be present for a hurricane
to develop.