HOW METEOROLOGISTS

PREDICT THE WEATHER

Air Masses and Fronts

Air Mass: a large body of air that has about the same temperature and humidity throughout

It can be warm or cold Can have a little or lot of water vapor

Air Masses Continued…

Usually move west to east in the United States

Air Masses do not mix together! The line where two air masses meet is

called a front.

Cold Front When a cold front moves and collides with a warm

front, the warm air rises quickly and cools rapidly, causing huge storm clouds to build up.

Rain or snow may fall. Thunder and lightning may also occur. Cold Fronts move quickly, so the storm may not last

very long.

Warm Front When a warm front collides with a cold front, the warm air slides

slowly upward over the cold air mas. As the warm air rises, it cools and forms clouds. Clouds are feathery and form high. Thicker clouds that form

lower n the sky follow. A gentle rain or snow is produced. When the warm front passes, warm, mild weather follows.

Tracking and Predicting Weather

Forecast: prediction of what the weather will be like for the next few days.

Meteorologist: Person who studies the weather

What Meteorologists Track High and Low Temperatures Humidity Air Pressure Precipitation Air Masses Fronts Wind Speed and Direction

How They Track

Computer-generated maps Radar Image Maps

National Weather Service A government agency that collects

information about weather. Use advanced tools, such as satellites

above the earth to collect information from all over the world