How does air masses interact at a cold front?

In the case of a cold front, a colder, denser air mass lifts the warm, moist air ahead of it. As the air rises, it cools and its moisture condenses to produce clouds and precipitation.

What air mass is a warm front?

Warm Front: transition zone from cold air to warm air. A warm front is defined as the transition zone where a warm air mass is replacing a cold air mass. Warm fronts generally move from southwest to northeast and the air behind a warm front is warmer and more moist than the air ahead of it.

What is cold air mass?

The air of cold air masses is more dense than warmer air masses. Therefore, as these cold air masses move, the dense air undercuts the warmer air masses forcing the warm air up and over the colder air causing it to rise into the atmosphere.

What happens during a cold front?

During a cold front, a cold air mass collides with a warmer air mass. When this happens, the warmer air is less dense and therefore is thrust upward along the front. As the warm air rises, the moisture begins to condense and form clouds and precipitation.

Which air mass goes on top in a cold front?

As a cold front moves into an area, the heavier (more dense) cool air pushes under the lighter (less dense) warm air, causing it to rise up into the troposphere. Lifted warm air ahead of the front produces cumulus or cumulonimbus clouds and thunderstorms. As the cold front passes, winds become gusty.

What is air masses and fronts?

An air mass is a body of air with a relatively constant temperature and moisture content over a significant altitude. Air masses typically cover hundreds, thousands, or millions of square kilometers. A front is the boundary at which two air masses of different temperature and moisture content meet.

What is a cold air mass?

What defines an air mass?

An air mass is a large volume of air in the atmosphere that is mostly uniform in temperature and moisture. Air masses can extend thousands of kilometers in any direction, and can reach from ground level to the stratosphere—16 kilometers (10 miles) into the atmosphere.

Which air mass will form over a cold continent?

Polar air masses
There are four categories for air masses: arctic, tropical, polar and equatorial. Arctic air masses form in the Arctic region and are very cold. Tropical air masses form in low-latitude areas and are moderately warm. Polar air masses take shape in high-latitude regions and are cold.

What happens in the cold front?

As the cold front passes, winds become gusty. There is a sudden drop in temperature, and also heavy rain, sometimes with hail, thunder, and lightning. Atmospheric pressure changes from falling to rising at the front.

What type of air mass is cold and dry?

Continental air masses form over land and are dry. Therefore, an air mass that develops over northern Canada is called a continental polar air mass and is cold and dry.