Air Masses & Fronts
what is an air mass
a very large volume of air that contains moisture
what is a weather map
what is a ocean/surface current
what is a deep ocean current
Deep currents, also known as thermohaline circulation, result from differences in water density.
where can you find air masses
Arctic air masses form in the Arctic region and are very cold. Tropical air masses form in low-latitude areas and are moderately warm.
why do we need weather maps
Weather maps shows various meteorological features across an area at a certain time such as temperature.
where can you find an ocean/surface current
At the western boundary of an ocean basin, the water turns and flows towards the North Pole, forming the western-ocean boundary currents.
where can you find deep ocean currents
Deep ocean current circulation begins in the North Atlantic where cold, dense, salty water sinks and flows southward at great depths.
what does cp stand for
If that same polar air mass moves south from Canada into the southern U.S. it will pick up some of the warmth of the ground,
what is the difference between weather and climate
Weather refers to short term atmospheric conditions while climate is the weather of a specific region averaged over a long period of time.
what are surface currents controlled by
global wind systems that are fueled by energy from the Sun.
what changes water density
the temperature or if there are substances dissolved in it
what does mp stand for
Maritime polar (mP) air masses are cool, moist, and unstable.
tell me Seattle, Washington will be like in the coming days
rainy
what are streams of water that flow near the top of the ocean
surface currents
what causes some water to be higher in the ocean than other water
warmer temperatures
a dense mass that moves quickly and causes sudden storms or cooler weather is called
weather front
tell me what the weather in Detroit Michigan is like
cloudy/rainy
what direction do surface currents move in the northern hemisphere
east to west
where in the world do cold deep currents come from to the surface
Thermohaline Circulation