Understanding Air Masses and Weather

What is an air mass?

• A small pocket of wind

• A large body of air with similar temperature, humidity, and pressure

• A type of cloud formation

• A weather instrument

Continental Polar (cP) air masses typically form over:

• Warm oceans

• Desert regions

• Northern Canada

• The Gulf of Mexico

Which air mass is characterized as warm and humid?

• Continental Polar (cP)

• Maritime Polar (mP)

• Continental Tropical (cT)

• Maritime Tropical (mT)

A front is best described as:

• A type of storm

• A boundary between two different air masses

• A measurement of wind speed

• A high-pressure system

What happens during a cold front?

• Warm air pushes under cold air

• Cold air pushes under and replaces warm air

• Two air masses remain stationary

• Warm air rises over cold air

Maritime Polar (mP) air masses are characterized as:

• Hot and dry

• Warm and humid

• Cool and moist

• Cold and dry

Which front occurs when a cold front catches up to a warm front?

• Stationary front

• Occluded front

• Cold front

• Warm front

What creates temperature differences in Earth's atmosphere?

• Wind direction

• Air pressure only

• Uneven heating of Earth's surface

• Ocean currents only

High pressure systems typically bring:

• Stormy weather

• Heavy precipitation

• Clear, stable weather

• Strong winds

Which instrument measures wind speed?

• Barometer

• Thermometer

• Anemometer

• Hygrometer