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Created by Ashley Jones
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Air Masses
EQ: How do meteorologists use air masses and weather fronts to predict our weather?
http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_is_an_air_mass.htm
Warm Up
Think back to the recent snow storm we had where we were out of school for one week.
Which type of air mass do you think caused the snow and why do you think this way?
• http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_is_an_air_mass.htm
An air mass is a large body of air with similar temperature, pressure, and humidity levels throughout.
Air Masses
• Get their properties from spending many days, even weeks, over the same area.
– Example: If an air mass sits over an ocean for awhile, it becomes humid.
– If an air mass sits over land, it becomes dry.
Air Masses
• Four types of air masses– Maritime– Continental– Polar– Tropical
Air Masses
Continental Maritime• Form over land and are dry • Form over water and are
moist
Air Masses
Tropical• Form over the tropics (low
latitudes)• Warm/Hot
Polar• Form at the polar regions of
Earth (high latitudes)• Cool/Cold
Air masses
Why does our weather change?
Air masses move!
How?
Global winds push air masses around the Earth!
Air MassesReflect
• M- Describe the four types of air masses.• I- If you could become an air mass, which
would you be and why? • U- Look back at the warm up question. Do
you agree with your answer? Support your answer with details.
• S- Create a flag for an air mass and explain why you chose that air mass.
Fronts• A front is a place where two different air masses
meet • Three main types• A “battle” between air masses
Continental Polar
Maritime Tropical
FRONT
Cold Fronts
• Click for Animation
Cold Front
• Moves quickly and can produce thunderstorms
• After it moves through, skies will be clear and temperatures will be cooler
Cold FrontReflect
• M- Explain the types of weather associated with a cold front.
• I- Act out a cold front with a partner.• U- A cold front passed through last night.
Predict what the weather is like now?• S- Create a metaphor: A cold front is like a _______________________. Explain.
Warm Front
• Click for Animation
Warm Front
• Moves slower than cold fronts• Brings humid weather and sometimes rains
for days
• After it moves through, temperatures are warmer
Warm FrontReflect
• M- Restate the cause of a warm front.• I- Which type of front do you feel is the best
and why?• U- Compare and contrast warm fronts and
cold fronts. • S- What would it be like to be a warm front?
Stationary Front
• Click for Animation
Stationary Fronts
• Two air masses next to each other, but neither moves.
• Weather remains the same for days
Stationary FrontReflect
• M- Summarize the three types of fronts.• I- You are charged with studying the effects of
air masses and fronts. How would you do it?• U-Which type of front do you think is the most
destructive and why?• S- Imagine you live in a world with only two
types of air masses. How would that effect fronts?
Become the meteorologist!
Use the weather map given to you and what you have learned about air masses and fronts and predict the weather for _______, _______,________,_______. Be sure to include an appropriate temperature and sky conditions (cloudy, sunny, raining, snowing, etc.)