ATOC 1050 EXAM 3 CU BOULDER|| 102
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Define: Air Mass - ANSWER-an immense body of air, usually 1600km across, or more
and several kilos thick.
How is an air mass characterized? - ANSWER-An air mass is characterized by
homogenous physical properties (temperature and moisture content) at any given
altitude.
What makes a good source region? - ANSWER--must be in an extensive and physically
uniform area
-region must be dominated by by stationary or slow moving anticyclones with extensive
ares of calm or light winds
How are air masses named (or classified)? - ANSWER-named for the latitude and the
nature of the surface of the source region.
The latitude of the source region indicates what about the air mass? And what are the
three categories? - ANSWER-It's temperature.
Arctic (A)
Polar (P)
Tropical (T)
The nature of the source region indicates what about the air mass? And what are the
two categories? - ANSWER-Moisture content.
Maritime (m)
Continental (c)
Define: Air Mass Modification - ANSWER-As an air mass moves from one place to
another, the air mass will have an effect on the location and the location will have an
effect on the air mass.
In air mass modification, what at the surface will be modified? - ANSWER-temperature,
moisture, stability
(because of energy exchange and mechanical lifting)
Continental Polar cP & Continental Arctic cA - ANSWER-Characteristics: Cold, dry,
stable
source region: northern Canada, Alaska
weather: cold, dry air, lake effect snow
, Define: Lake Effect Snow - ANSWER-Occurs in cP air masses moving over warm
bodies of water (near the great lakes).
Water evaporates and air mass gets moisture then cools off when it reaches land and
you get precipitation
Maritime Polar air mass mP - ANSWER-characteristics: cold, moist, conditionally
unstable
source region: North Pacific, and North Atlantic Oceans
weather: rain or snow
Maritime Tropical air mass mT - ANSWER-characteristics: warm/hot, moist, unstable
source region: sub-tropical pacific, atlantic oceans, gulf of Mexico
weather: precipitation
when do occluded fronts occur? - ANSWER-form when a cold front catches up to a
warm front
cold-occluded front - ANSWER-the air behind a cold front is colder than the air ahead of
the warm front
warm-occluded front - ANSWER-the air behind a cold front is not as cold as the air
ahead of the warm front
Polar Front Theory (Norwegian cyclone model) - ANSWER-The majority of weather in
the mid latitudes is generated by mid-latitude cyclones
Theory that explains the life cycle of mid-latitude cyclones and their associated fronts
Stages of cyclonic life: stationary front #1 - ANSWER-separates cold polar air from
warm sub-tropical air
Continental Tropical air mass cT - ANSWER-characteristics: warm/hot, dry, unstable
source region: northern Mexico
weather: clear skies, hot temps, no precipitation
Define: Fronts - ANSWER-boundary surfaces that separate air masses of different
densities (referring to the surface)
What are the 4 types of fronts? - ANSWER-Cold, Warm, Stationary, Occluded
Color/shape of fronts - ANSWER-Cold: Blue and triangle
Warm: Red and half circle
Occluded: Purple and both triangle/half circle
stationary: red then blue (red with half circle, blue with triangle)
Stationary Front - ANSWER--non moving boundary between two air masses
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Define: Air Mass - ANSWER-an immense body of air, usually 1600km across, or more
and several kilos thick.
How is an air mass characterized? - ANSWER-An air mass is characterized by
homogenous physical properties (temperature and moisture content) at any given
altitude.
What makes a good source region? - ANSWER--must be in an extensive and physically
uniform area
-region must be dominated by by stationary or slow moving anticyclones with extensive
ares of calm or light winds
How are air masses named (or classified)? - ANSWER-named for the latitude and the
nature of the surface of the source region.
The latitude of the source region indicates what about the air mass? And what are the
three categories? - ANSWER-It's temperature.
Arctic (A)
Polar (P)
Tropical (T)
The nature of the source region indicates what about the air mass? And what are the
two categories? - ANSWER-Moisture content.
Maritime (m)
Continental (c)
Define: Air Mass Modification - ANSWER-As an air mass moves from one place to
another, the air mass will have an effect on the location and the location will have an
effect on the air mass.
In air mass modification, what at the surface will be modified? - ANSWER-temperature,
moisture, stability
(because of energy exchange and mechanical lifting)
Continental Polar cP & Continental Arctic cA - ANSWER-Characteristics: Cold, dry,
stable
source region: northern Canada, Alaska
weather: cold, dry air, lake effect snow
, Define: Lake Effect Snow - ANSWER-Occurs in cP air masses moving over warm
bodies of water (near the great lakes).
Water evaporates and air mass gets moisture then cools off when it reaches land and
you get precipitation
Maritime Polar air mass mP - ANSWER-characteristics: cold, moist, conditionally
unstable
source region: North Pacific, and North Atlantic Oceans
weather: rain or snow
Maritime Tropical air mass mT - ANSWER-characteristics: warm/hot, moist, unstable
source region: sub-tropical pacific, atlantic oceans, gulf of Mexico
weather: precipitation
when do occluded fronts occur? - ANSWER-form when a cold front catches up to a
warm front
cold-occluded front - ANSWER-the air behind a cold front is colder than the air ahead of
the warm front
warm-occluded front - ANSWER-the air behind a cold front is not as cold as the air
ahead of the warm front
Polar Front Theory (Norwegian cyclone model) - ANSWER-The majority of weather in
the mid latitudes is generated by mid-latitude cyclones
Theory that explains the life cycle of mid-latitude cyclones and their associated fronts
Stages of cyclonic life: stationary front #1 - ANSWER-separates cold polar air from
warm sub-tropical air
Continental Tropical air mass cT - ANSWER-characteristics: warm/hot, dry, unstable
source region: northern Mexico
weather: clear skies, hot temps, no precipitation
Define: Fronts - ANSWER-boundary surfaces that separate air masses of different
densities (referring to the surface)
What are the 4 types of fronts? - ANSWER-Cold, Warm, Stationary, Occluded
Color/shape of fronts - ANSWER-Cold: Blue and triangle
Warm: Red and half circle
Occluded: Purple and both triangle/half circle
stationary: red then blue (red with half circle, blue with triangle)
Stationary Front - ANSWER--non moving boundary between two air masses
