Air Masses

A volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content.

What are Air Masses:

• Large Bodies of air

• Form when the air over a LARGE REGIONS sits in one place for many days

• The air gradually takes on the CHARACTERISTICS of the land or water below it

How do Air Masses Affect Our Weather?

• They move with the GLOBAL WINDS patterns

• As an air mass moves, it brings its CHARACTERISTICS with it 

• CHANGES weather

Air Masses:

• Air masses are formed by the HEATING and COOLING of land and water. 

• Air masses are large bodies of air that have the same TEMPERATURE and MOISTURE level throughout.

• There are FOUR (4) types of air masses:

  - CONTINENTAL POLAR (cP)

  - CONTINENTAL TROPICAL (cT)

  - MARITIME POLAR (mP)

  - MARITIME TROPICAL (mT)

• The INTERACTION between air masses can impact WEATHER, CONVECTION CURRENTS and WIND.

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How do we describe moisture?

• The FIRST word of an air mass tells us WHERE the mass was formed (over WATER or LAND)

• Continental

  - Air masses formed over LAND

  - Moisture=DRY

• Maritime

  - Air masses formed over WATER

  - Moisture=WET

How do we describe temperature?

• The SECOND word of an air mass tells us if the air mass was formed close to the EQUATOR or POLE

• Tropical

  -Air masses formed near the EQUATOR

  -Temperature=WARM AIR

• Polar

  -Air masses formed closer to the POLES

  -Temperature=COLD AIR