How do interacting masses of warm and cool air generate weather patterns?
What will be an ideal response?
Most changes in weather occur when air masses with different physical properties meet. The boundary between two air masses is called a front. The air behind a warm front rises over a cold air mass and then gradually cools and condenses, forming clouds that may descend and produce rain. A cold front is the boundary along which a cold air mass displaces a warm air mass. The cold air, being denser than the warm air, tends to wedge beneath the warm air, pushing the warm air upward where it cools and expands to form clouds, which have the potential to produce thunderstorms. Once a cold front passes through, however, the sky usually clears, and the temperature and humidity drop.
You might also like to view...
Uniformitarianism states that geologic processes today operated with equal intensities and rates in the past
a. True b. False
Which of the following is not of our solar system?
A) It consists of 8 planets and some 165 planetary satellites (moons). B) Of all the planets, Neptune has the most moons. C) Six of the eight planets have at least 1 moon. D) Several identified planetary satellites are still awaiting official confirmation.
The polar high pressure cells
A) are more pronounced at the North Pole than at the South Pole. B) are the strongest of the four primary pressure areas. C) are cyclonic in nature. D) produce the weak, variable polar easterlies.
Which is NOT a consequence of permafrost thawing?
a. deformation of roads and railroads b. decay of organic material c. trees tilting at various angles d. absorption of methane gas e. sinkholes