Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________ Block ________
Study Guide – Air Masses, Fronts & Station Models
1. What is an air mass? _____________________________________________________________________________
2. If a continental polar air mass moved over the Ashburn area, what would change? _____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. How are Air Masses classified? _____________________________________________________________________
4. Which air mass causes most of the precipitation in the eastern United States? ________________________________
5. Which two air masses mainly influence much of the east coast? ___________________________________________
6. Why does the Continental Tropical air mass centered over Mexico have little influence on weather in the east?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Air masses that form over land are called _______________; air masses that form over water are called ___________
8. What is a warm front? ____________________________________________________________________________
9. What kind of front forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front? _________________________________________
10. What happens along stationary fronts? ______________________________________________________________
11. What kind of weather is associated with cold fronts? ___________________________________________________
12. What forms at the boundary between two different air masses? ___________________________________________
13. Which types of fronts are most likely to produce thunderstorms? __________________________________________
14. Which type of front is the most complex because it involves 3 different air masses? ___________________________
15. Which type of front would you see cirrus clouds a day before rain showers? _________________________________
Fill in the blank:
______________________________ 16. The _____ tropical air mass can cause very hot, drought-like conditions during
summer on the Great Plains.
______________________________ 17. Heavy rain, on the windward slopes of mountains near the Pacific NW is
caused by the uplift of air in _____ polar air masses.
______________________________ 18. A _____ front can bring heavy rain and thunderstorms.
______________________________ 19. At a(n) _____front, the flow of air stops moving forward.
Please answer the following in complete sentences:
20. a) A warm, moist air mass moves northwest over a cool, dry area. How will the air mass affect the temperature and
humidity of the area it moves over?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
20. b) How will this affect the temperature and humidity of the air mass itself? ___________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Use the figure below to answer the following questions:
C
A
G
21. Which air masses bring cool, dry air to large
regions of eastern North America?
____________________________________________
22. The air masses labeled A & G are classified as
E
____________________________________________
23. The air masses labeled ________ and ________
bring warm, moist air to the United States.
24. The air mass labeled ___________ would be
represented by the symbol cT.
D
F
B
25. The air mass labeled ___________ would be
represented by the symbol cP.
Below is a diagram showing a cross section of two fronts commonly found along a low pressure weather system
in the United States. Complete the diagram by labeling and drawing the information requested and them answer
questions 26-30.
*Draw and label the following on the diagram:
Cumulonimbus Clouds, Nimbostratus Clouds, Cirrus Clouds, Cold Front, Warm Front, Clear Skies
26. Along which front would thunderstorms and possible tornadoes be found? __________________________________
27. Which city is having gentle rains? __________________________________________________________________
28. Which city is having heavy rainfall? ________________________________________________________________
29. Which city will experience the weather along the cold front next? _________________________________________
30. Draw the symbol meteorologists use to indicate each of the following fronts on a weather map.
Stationary Front
Warm Front
Cold Front
Occluded Front
Record the following weather conditions from the station model provided:
_____________Wind Direction
_____________Temperature in (Fo)
_____________Cloud Coverage (%)
_____________Dew point (Fo)
_____________Pressure (mb)
_____________Pressure Trend (mb)
_____________Wind Speed (knots)
_____________Current Weather