XI. Fronts

A. Air Masses
  1. polar air
    1. cP - cold dry (cA is arctic)
    2. mP - cool moist (winter rains) fig 12.6
  2. tropical air
    1. cT - hot dry
    2. mT - warm moist (pineapple connection) fig 12.9
B. Fronts - transition zone between air masses of different densities - low pressure trough
  1. stationary front (alternating red and blue line - semicircles point to cold, triangle point to hot)
  2. cold front (blue with triangles showing motion)
    1. 20 knots (about 25mph)
    2. polar replaces tropical
    3. steep and narrow zone of cumulonimbus
    4. vertical uplift
    5. STORMS!
  3. warm fronts (red with circles in direction of movement)
    1. 10 knots (about 12 mph) often jumpy
    2. gentle slope
    3. overunning/inversion
    4. wide band of clouds and precipitation
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