Name:________________________________________
Meteorology: Air Masses and Fronts
Vocabulary
Air mass:
Climate:
Front:
High Pressure system:
Humidity:
Low Pressure system:
Prevailing Wind:
Weather:
Wind:
Date:___________________
Name:________________________________________
Meteorology: Air Masses and Fronts
Date:___________________
Figure 1: Types and sources of air masses in the USA
Figure 2. Movement of Air Masses and Fronts
Name:________________________________________
Meteorology: Air Masses and Fronts
Date:___________________
Review Questions:
1. The conditions of the atmosphere for the day is called ____________________.
2. The average weather that is the same every year is called ____________________.
3. A high pressure air mass brings ____________________ weather.
4. Stormy, unstable weather is found in ____________________ pressure systems.
5. The USA map indicates the locations of the high and low pressure systems. The lettered
position that is probably experiencing clear skies:____________________.
6. Local weather conditions change due to the movement of ____________________.
7. An air mass that forms over northern Canada will be ____________________ and
____________________.
8. An air mass that is warm and dry will be classified as ____________________.
9. In the United States air masses move from ____________________ to
____________________.
10. A front is the ____________________ between different air masses.
11. Precipitation is likely to occur along ____________________.
Name:________________________________________
Meteorology: Air Masses and Fronts
Date:___________________
12. The map shows air pressure weather systems in the USA for one day in June. Letters A,
B, C, D, and E are locations in the United States.
a. Locations with clear skies: ____________________ and ____________________.
b. Locations probably experiencing rain: ____________________ and
____________________.
c. A warm front is approaching location ____________________.
d. The low pressure system will move towards ____________________.
13. Polar climates are colder than tropical climates, because at the Poles the
a. Sun is lower and less direct
c. Sun is higher and more direct
b. Sun is lower and more direct
d. Sun is higher and less direct
14. On a weather map, an air mass that is cold and dry would be labeled
a. mP
b. mT
c. cT
d. cP
15. The weather conditions in an air mass are determined by
a.
b.
c.
d.
The size of the air mass
The area over which the air mass formed
The wind speeds in the air mass
The amount of moisture in the air mass
Name:________________________________________
Meteorology: Air Masses and Fronts
Date:___________________
Base your answers to questions 16-18 on the diagram below which shows the location and
movement of two different air masses.
16. The air mass over city B would be classified as
a. maritime polar
c. continental tropical
b. maritime tropical
d. continental polar
17. The boundary line between the two air masses is known as
a. The eye
c. A high pressure system
b. A front
d. the stratosphere
18. A weather forecast for city B would be
a. Clearing skies with cooler temperatures
b. Increasing clouds with cooler temperatures
c. Increasing clouds with warmer temperatures
d. Clearing skies with increasing temperatures
19. Tornadoes form when a very cold, dry air mass meets a very warm, moist air mass.
Which two air masses could form a tornado when they meet?
a. cP and cT
c. cP and mT
b. cT and mP
d. mP and mT
20. Cool, clear weather is usually found
a. In high pressure systems
b. In low pressure systems
21. The climate of a region describes the
a. Daily weather conditions
b. Yearly weather conditions
c. Latitude and altitude of the location
d. Wind patterns for the area
c. At fronts
d. In the tropics
Name:________________________________________
Meteorology: Air Masses and Fronts
Date:___________________
22. Toward which point will the Low pressure system move?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
Base your answers to questions 23-24 on the following diagram. Locations A and B are two
source regions for air masses that affect the United States.
23. Compared to the air mass at B, the air mass at A is
a. Cooler and drier
c. Warmer and wetter
b. Cooler and wetter
d. Warmer and drier
24. On a weather map the air mass at location B would be labeled
a. cP
b. cT
c. mT
d. mP
Name:________________________________________
Meteorology: Air Masses and Fronts
Date:___________________
Base your answers to questions 25-28 on the following diagram. The diagram is part of a
weather map for locations in the eastern United States. The map shows the location of the low
pressure system, fronts, and weather stations A, B, C, and D.
25. At which station is it most likely raining?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
26. As the front passes D, the air temperature will probably
a. Decrease
b. Increase
c. Remain the same
27. In the next few hours station C can expect cloud cover to
a. Decrease
b. Increase
c. Remain the same
28. The cold front is moving towards the
a. Northeast
b. Southeast
c. Southwest
d. Northwest
Name:________________________________________
Meteorology: Air Masses and Fronts
Date:___________________
29. The map below shows a weather system affecting a part of the United States.
a. Lightly shade in the area where precipitation is most likely occurring at the
present time.
b. Describe the weather conditions in Alabama.
c. Write a weather forecast for New York which includes temperature, sky cover,
and precipitation changes that may occur.
d. Use a large arrow to show the direction in which the low pressure system will
move.
e. Describe the present weather conditions at the H. Include temperature, sky cover,
and precipitation.