Weather- Fronts
Target #15- I can describe a weather front
• When two unlike air masses meet, _______________________ difference usually keep the air masses separate.
– _________________________ air masses are denser than _______________________ air masses
– Their interaction is called a ______________________
• Can be several hundred to several thousand kilometers long
• Initiates weather activity
Target #16- I can state how a front forms
• For a front to form one air mass must ____________________________ with another air mass
– Kind of front determined by ______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Target #17- I can differentiate between the types of weather fronts that can
form
• Cold Front:
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•
The cold air ______________________ the warm air mass
• If the warm air is moist, clouds will form
– The ___________________________________ the front moves
the ________________________________________ the storms
• _____________________________________: where
thunderstorms form along a fast moving cold front
Warm Front:
–
–
•
Less dense warm air rises over the cooler air
Generally produces ___________________________________
over a large area
– May cause ___________________________________ weather
Stationary Front:
–
–
•
Either moves ______________________________ or not at all
Weather produced is similar to a
__________________________________________________
Occluded Front:
–
Usually results in rain storms
Target #18- I can describe a mid-latitude cyclone
• Mid-latitude cyclones
– A wave forms at the ____________________________________ where cold polar air meets tropical air
• Usually occurs in the _______________________________________ (half way between the
equator and the poles)
– Hurricanes: Over ______________________
– Tornadoes: Over ______________________
• Illustrated by a ______________________________________________________ rotation of air
Target #19- I can state how a mid-latitude cyclone forms
Target #20- I can describe hurricanes
• Hurricane
– a _______________________________________________________ that forms over a warm ocean
– has strong wind speeds of more than _______________________________
• spirals toward its intense _________________________________________________________
– Begins when warm, moist air over the ocean _____________________________________________
• Winds increase toward the center _____________________________________________
– Causes a _____________________________________ rising sea level
Target #21- I can summarize the impact a hurricane induced storm surge has on the environment
• Storm surges are frequently the most devastating element of a hurricane.
– As a hurricane’s winds spiral around and around the storm, they ________________________________
____________________________________________________ at the storm’s center.
• This mound of water becomes dangerous when the storm reaches land because it causes
___________________________________ along the coast.
• The water piles up, unable to escape anywhere but on land as the storm carries it landward.
– A hurricane will cause more storm surge in areas where the ocean floor __________________________
____________________________________. This causes major flooding.
Target #22- I can identify what scale is used to measure the strength of a hurricane
• Safir-Simpson Scale: a 5 category scale that groups hurricanes into groups by ____________________________,
__________________________________________, and ____________________________________________
Target #23- I can describe tornados
• Tornado:
–
–
–
–
Forms when a thunderstorm meets __________________________________________________ winds
The winds cause the rising air to rotate
Moves unpredictably
Measured by the ___________________________________________________