Weather FrontsBy: Casee Kunz

What is a front?

When two air masses meet, they form a front. Both of these air masses have different densities and don’t mix easily. When one air mass is lifted onto the other, it creates a low pressure system, which can create stormy weather.

The greater the temperature difference, the stronger the winds will be.

Types of Fronts

• Stationary Fronts• Cold Fronts• Warm Fronts• Occluded Fronts

Stationary Front

At a stationary front, the air masses don’t move. A front can become this way if it is stopped by a barrier, like a mountain range.

Stationary fronts bring:

Rain Fog

Drizzle

Cold Front

A cold front happens when a cold air mass takes the place of a warm air mass. The cold air mass is dense so it slides beneath the warm air mass

pushes it up. This causes the air pressure to go down.

Cold fronts bring:

Cumulus Clouds

Snow ShowersThunderstorms

Squall Lines

Warm Front

At a warm front, a warm air mass slides over a cold air mass. When this happens, the atmosphere becomes unstable. The transition from cold to warm takes place over a long distance. Signs of the changing front are not visible until the front is directly over you.

Warm fronts bring:

Warm temperatures

Sleet and freezing rain

Stratus clouds

Fog

Occluded Front

An occluded front forms around a low pressure system.

It starts when a cold front reaches a warm front. The air

masses alternate between cold and warm. There are both

warm and cold occluded fronts. The Pacific Coast has

frequent occluded fronts.

Occluded fronts bring:

Heavy precipitation

Shifting winds

The End