Weather fronts and systems

http://www.wundermaps.com/maps/

Fronts

Where two air masses meet

• Warm – warm air meets cooler air

• Cold – cooler air meets warmer air

• Stationary – warm and cold fronts of equal strength meet

• Occluded – 3 air masses meet

Warm Front

Warm Front

Along the front there is rain, followed by slow steady rain

To the left (west) of a warm front, there is usually a

• Low pressure (WARM air)

Warm Front

• Stratus clouds

• Followed by warmer air, more evaporation

• Often rainy weather

Cold Front

Cold Front

• Usually stormy weather along the front, followed by a high pressure system (fair weather)

Cold Front

• Cumulonimbus clouds

• Storms followed by clear, fair, cooler weather

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cumulonimbus-tav.jpg

Stationary Front

Stationary front

• Stays over an area for a long period of time

• Usually brings rain

Occluded Front

• Where 3 pressure systems meet

• May spawn tornadoes, tropical cyclones, hurricanes

• May be very destructive