Air masses and fronts
What is air mass?
A body of air with a temperature either cold or hot.
What are weather maps?
Shows various meteorological features across a particular area at a particular point in time.
What is a surface current?
Surface currents are horizontal, stream-like movements of water that are found at or near the surface of the ocean.
What are deep currents?
Deep currents are controlled by water density.
What is an air front?
When cold and warm air mass collide.
What are the 3 types of weather maps?
National weather maps, Continental weather maps, and global weather maps.
How deep and long can a surface current go?
Surface currents can be up to several hundred meters deep. They can be as long as several thousand kilometers.
How do deep currents form?
Deep currents form when the density of ocean water increases and it sinks toward the bottom of the ocean.
How are mild air fronts formed?
When a cold air mass displaces a warm air mass.
Why are weather maps important?
They show the weather coming and prepare us for natural disasters.
What 3 factors affect surface currents?
Global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflections.
What is deeply linked with a deep curent?
Deep currents and surface currents are closely linked.
How many types of air masses are there in the U.S.A?
4 air masses
What is a weather map called?
Synoptic weather chart.
How do surface currents affect climate?
The temperature of the water at the surface of the ocean affects the air above it. Warm=Warm air. Cold=cold air.
What are some types/examples of deep currents with less or more density?
Antarctic Bottom Water, which forms near Antarctica. North Atlantic Deep Water is less dense and forms in the North Atlantic Ocean. Water that is less dense stays above denser water.
What are the air masses in the united states?
Arctic, tropical, polar and equatorial.
How can you see what weather is coming on a weather map?
Which direction fronts are moving and which way the wind is blowing in a certain area.
Do surface currents generate heat?
Yes Surface currents help to move heat from one part of Earth’s surface to another.
Can deep currents be controlled by wind?
No Unlike surface currents, deep currents are not controlled by wind.