Frontal Systems

Cold Front - a zone separating two air masses, of which the cooler, denser mass is advancing and replacing the warmer.

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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Warm Front - a transition zone between a mass of warm air and the cold air it is replacing.

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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Stationary Front - a front between warm and cold air masses that is moving very slowly or not at all.

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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Occluded Front - a composite of two fronts, formed as a cold front overtakes a warm or quasi-stationary front.

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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Trough - an elongated area of relatively low atmospheric pressure; the opposite of a ridge.

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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Squall Line - a line of active thunderstorms, either continuous or with breaks.

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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Dry Line - a boundary separating moist and dry air masses.

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Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Stability is the atmosphere's resistance to…

• change.
• vertical motion.
• wind.
• lapse rate.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

The rate temperature decreases as altitude increases is…

• the rate of change.
• the lapse rate.
• the slower you will fly.
• the colder it will be.

Normally the lapse rate is negative (it gets colder up at altitude). What is it called when it becomes warmer as you go up?

• That is an inversion.
• That is a diversion.
• That is a subversion.
• That is a reversion.