Chapter 16 Section 2 Notes
AIR MASSES
1. The moisture content and temperature of an air mass are determined by the area
over which the air mass forms. These areas are called ______________________.
2. The characteristics of these air masses are represented on maps by a two- letter
symbol. The ____________ letter indicates the moisture content that is
characteristic of the sir mass. The ________________ letter represents the
temperature that is characteristic of the air mass.
SYMBOLS
WHERE IT IS FORMING
maritime (m)
Forms over water; wet
continental (c)
Forms over land; dry
polar (P)
Forms over the polar regions; cold
tropical (T)
Develops over the Tropics; warm
COLD AIR MASSES
3. A continental polar (________) air mass forms over northern Canada, which bring
extremely cold winter weather to the United States.
4. A maritime polar (_________) air mass that forms over the North Pacific Ocean
is cool and very wet. This air mass brings rain and snow to the Pacific Coast in
the winter and cool, foggy weather in the summer.
WARM AIR MASSES
5. A maritime tropical (_____________) air mass that develops over warm areas in
the Pacific Ocean is not as wet as the Maritime polar air mass that forms over the
Pacific Ocean.
6. Other maritime tropical air masses develop over the warm waters of the Gulf of
Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. In the __________________, they bring hot and
humid weather, hurricanes, and thunderstorms. In the _________________, they
bring mild, often cloudy weather.
7. A continental tropical (_________) air mass forms over the deserts of northern
Mexico and the southwestern United States. This air mass moves northward and
brings clear, dry, and hot weather in the summer.
FRONTS
8. The 4 kinds of fronts- ____________ fronts, _____________fronts,
______________ fronts, and ____________________ fronts.
COLD FRONT
9. A ___________ front forms where cold air
moves under warm air, which is less dense,
and pushes the warm air up. A cold front
usually brings ______________ weather.
WARM FRONT
10. A ____________front forms where warm air
moves over cold, denser air. Most likely
produces hot, humid weather after a period of
rain.
OCCLUDED FRONT
11. An __________________ front forms when a
warm air mass is caught between 2 colder
air masses. This front produces cool
temperatures and large amounts of rain and
snow.
STATIONARY FRONT
12. A ____________________ front forms
when a cold air mass meets a warm air
mass. This front brings many days of
cloudy, wet weather.
CYCLONES
13. In a cyclone winds spiral toward the __________.
ANTICYCLONES
14. They are areas that have ___________________ pressure.
15. The sinking air in an anticyclone brings _________, ___________ weather.