Lifting Types & Frontal Systems Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is Convergent Lifting?

When two large warm air masses collide (at ITCZ when trade winds collide).

What is Convective Lifting?

Air is heated in interiors of land masses during summer. Air gets heated and rises displacing cold air.

What is Orographic Lifting?

Occurs when stable air is forced to rise over a mountain.

What is Frontal Lifting?

When a warm air mass and a cold air mass collide, warm air is unstable and rises. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Front?

Where two unlike air masses meet. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Cold Front?

Represented by blue triangles; cold air advances into warm air. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Warm Front?

Represented by red semi-circles; warm air advances into cold air. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Stationary Front?

Neither air mass is advancing; often the beginning of frontal systems. Signup and view all the answers

What is an Occluded Front?

Warm air is aloft/above cold air; goal of the frontal system. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Lifting Types

Convergent Lifting: Occurs when two large warm air masses collide, prevalent at the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where trade winds converge.
Convective Lifting: Happens during summer as land masses heat up, causing warm air to rise and displace cooler air.
Orographic Lifting: Results from stable air being forced to ascend over mountains. Requires mountain ranges to be oriented perpendicular to prevailing winds, typically North-South.
Frontal Lifting: Takes place when a warm air mass meets a cold air mass, with the warmer air being less dense and rising.

Frontal Systems

Front: The boundary where two dissimilar air masses come together.
Cold Front: Indicated by blue triangles on weather maps, representing cold air moving into an area of warm air.
Warm Front: Shown as red semi-circles, denoting the advance of warm air into a region occupied by cooler air.
Stationary Front: Occurs when neither air mass moves forward, often marking the initiation of frontal systems.
Occluded Front: Characterized by warm air being positioned above cold air, representing the mature phase of a frontal system.

Description

Test your knowledge of different types of lifting mechanisms in meteorology with these flashcards. Each card includes a key term along with its definition, helping you understand concepts such as convergent and convective lifting. Perfect for students studying atmospheric sciences.