Weather Patterns: Air Masses and Fronts exam study guide fully solved & verified for accuracy 2024

air mass A huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height tropical A warm air mass that forms in the tropics and has low air pressure polar A cold air mass that forms north of 50 degree north latitude and south of 50 degree south latitude; and has high air pressure maritime A humid air mass that forms over oceans continental a dry air mass that forms over land maritime tropical warm, humid air masses form over tropical oceans maritime polar cool, humid air masses form over the icy cold North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans continental tropical hot, dry air masses form mostly in summer over dry areas of the Southwest and northern Mexico continental polar clear, cold, dry air masses with very low humidity from Canada to North America prevailing westerlies the major wind belts over the continental U. S. that push air masses from west to east jet streams blow from west to east with air masses carried along their tracks front the boundary where the air masses meet cold front a fast-moving cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass warm front a warm air mass overtakes a slow-moving cold air mass stationary front cold and warm air masses meet, but neither can move the other occluded front a warm air mass is caught between two cooler air masses; cut off cyclone a swirling center of low air pressure anticyclone high pressure centers of dry air thunderstom A small storm often accompanied by heavy precipitation and frequent thunder and lightning storm surge A dome of water that sweeps across the coast where a hurricane lands evacuate move away temporarily storm a violent disturbance in the atmosphere lightning a sudden flash of light in the sky during a storm hurricane A tropical storm that has winds of about 119 kilometers per hour or higher. tornado A rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down to touch Earth's surface.