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Questions and Answers
What is an air mass?
A large body of air whose properties of temperature and humidity are fairly similar horizontally and vertically.
What do continental air masses form over?
Where do maritime air masses form?
What are polar air masses?
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What characterizes arctic air masses?
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Where do tropical air masses originate?
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What type of air masses are cold and dry?
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Describe the characteristics of maritime polar (mP) air masses.
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What conditions do continental tropical (cT) air masses create?
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How do air masses change after crossing mountain ranges?
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What happens during the lake-snow effect?
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Identify the air mass responsible for hot, muggy weather in the eastern US during summer.
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Air mass temperature classifications include tropical (T), polar (P), and _____ (A).
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Match the following air mass classifications with their characteristics:
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Continental air masses are generally moist.
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Maritime tropical air masses originate in cold polar regions.
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Study Notes
Air Mass Overview
- Air mass: A large body of air with similar temperature and humidity properties both horizontally and vertically.
- Source regions: Typically flat, uniform, and dominated by high pressure, characterized by light winds.
Types of Air Masses
- Continental air masses: Form over land, dry due to lack of moisture.
- Maritime air masses: Form over water, moist and can influence weather significantly.
Temperature Classifications
- Polar air masses: Originating in cold polar regions, leading to cooler weather.
- Arctic air masses: Extremely cold, forming over arctic areas.
- Tropical air masses: Originate in warm, tropical regions, bringing heat.
Specific Air Masses
- Continental Polar (cP): Cold and dry, associated with winter weather in North America.
- Continental Arctic (cA): Extremely cold and dry, leading to severe winter conditions.
- Continental Tropical (cT): Hot and dry, often responsible for summer heat waves.
- Maritime Polar (mP): Cold and moist, causing damp weather particularly along the northeastern U.S. coast.
- Maritime Tropical (mT): Warm and humid, leading to muggy conditions in the eastern U.S. during summer.
Characteristics of Air Masses
- Air masses are modified after leaving their source regions, yet retain distinctive properties for several days.
- Temperature classifications include tropical (T), polar (P), and arctic (A).
- Moisture classifications include maritime (m) for moist air from oceans and continental (c) for dry air from land.
Common Air Masses Affecting North America
- Maritime Tropical (mT): Wet and warm, influences weather from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, can produce heavy rainfall.
- Continental Tropical (cT): Hot and dry; prevalent in summer, originating from southwestern deserts.
- Maritime Polar (mP): Cool and moist, following cold fronts into California.
- Continental Polar (cP): Cold and dry, triggers severe winter weather across the eastern U.S.
Seasonal Movement
- Air masses typically move up in summer and down in winter, affecting regional climates.
Modification of Air Masses
- Cold air masses like cA or cP can gain moisture when moving over warmer ocean waters during winter, leading to instability.
- These changes affect the air mass symbol, adding 'k' for colder conditions and 'w' for warmer.
Mountain Influence on Air Masses
- As maritime polar (mP) air crosses mountain ranges, it becomes modified, resulting in relatively dry conditions on the eastern side of the Rockies.
Lake-Snow Effect
- Occurs when a cold air mass moves over warm water, primarily in autumn and early winter.
- Cold continental polar (cP) air absorbs moisture from warmer waters, leading to heavy snowfall once it cools over land.
Studying That Suits You
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Description
Test your knowledge of air masses with this set of flashcards. Each card covers key concepts and definitions related to air masses, including their formation and properties. Perfect for students studying meteorology.
