Air Masses and Fronts
What are air masses?
Air masses are very large volumes of air that have a certain temperature and moisture content
When looking at a weather map, what do the large red L’s symbolize?
They symbolize low pressure, which is usually followed by warm humid weather.
What are surface currents?
Surface currents are horizontal, streamlike movements of water that are found at or near the surface of the ocean.
Where do ocean currents form?
Sometimes on the ocean floor.
What are fronts?
The place where two or more air masses meet is called a front.
When looking at a weather map, what do the red symbols mean?
They symbolize warm fronts, which bring cloudy and sometimes stormy weather.
True or false surface currents greatly affect the climate around the world.
True
True or false, deep currents are affected by cold weather above the ocean.
True, deep currents need cold water to form and when there is.
How does a stationary front form?
A stationary front forms when a cold air mass and a warm air mass move toward each other.
When looking at a weather map, what do the blue symbols mean?
They indicate cold fronts.
What three factors control Surface currents?
Global winds, the Coriolis effect, and continental deflections.
True or false, deep currents heat the ocean through convection.
False, deep currents do not transfer heat, but they cool the water around them through.
How do scientists classify air masses?
By water content and temperature of the air.
When looking at a weather map, What do the large blue H’s symbolize?
They symbolize high pressure, which usually have cold, drying winds to follow.
What happens when surface currents collide with land and deflect or change direction?
Continental land deflection.
What causes deep ocean currents to form?
The temperature and density of the water surrounding.
What are the four warm air masses and the 3 cold air masses that influence the United States?
Warm-mT,cT,
Cold-cP mP
When looking at a weather map, what do the combined blue and red symbols mean?
They indicate stationary front, which is a combination of cold air masses and hot air masses that cancel each other out.
Where does the Gulf stream flow?
From Florida to Iceland.
True or false, Deep ocean currents control the surrounding climate.
True, Deep currents circulate the flow of cold and warm weather in the ocean.