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html
Front
Learning Outcomes:
LO2.71 Define warm front, cold front.
LO2.72 Know the symbols for warm and
cold fronts and identifies them on a
weather map.
LO2.73 Describe, with the aid of a diagram,
the weather experienced during the
passage of an idealized warm front.
Learning Outcomes:
LO2.74 Describe, with the aid of a diagram,
the weather experienced during the
passage of an idealized cold front.
Importance of the Topic
• The students will be able to
have the knowledge on what
kinds of weather are
associated with warm and cold
front which will be of great help
with their future profession.
Front
As air masses move within the general
circulation, they travel from their source
regions to other areas dominated by air
having different characteristics.
Front
This leads to a zone of separation
between the two air masses, called
frontal zone or front, across which
temperature, humidity, and wind speed
and direction change rapidly.
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SYMBOLS
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Cold front
It is the transition zone where a cold air
mass is replacing a warmer air mass.
Cold fronts generally move from
northwest to southeast. The air behind
a cold front is noticeably colder and
drier than the air ahead of it.
Cold front
When a cold front passes through,
temperatures can drop more than 15
degrees within the first hour.
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Cold front
Symbolically, a cold front is represented
by a solid line with triangles along the
front pointing towards the warmer air
and in the direction of movement.
Cold front
On colored weather maps, a cold front
is drawn with a solid blue line.
IMAGE SOURCE: http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu
Cold front
In the map of surface temperatures
below, the station east of the front
reported a temperature of 55 degrees
Fahrenheit while a short distance
behind the front, the temperature
decreased to 38 degrees.
Cold front
An abrupt temperature change over a
short distance is a good indicator that a
front is located somewhere in between.
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Warm front
It is the transition zone where a warm
air mass is replacing a cold air mass.
Warm fronts generally move from
southwest to northeast and the air
behind a warm front is warmer and
more moist than the air ahead of it.
Warm front
When a warm front passes through, the
air becomes noticeably warmer and
more humid than it was before.
IMAGE SOURCE: http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu
Warm front
Symbolically, a warm front is
represented by a solid line with
semicircles pointing towards the colder
air and in the direction of movement.
Warm front
On colored weather maps, a warm front
is drawn with a solid red line.
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Warm front
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Occluded front
A developing cyclone typically has a
preceding warm front (the leading edge
of a warm moist air mass) and a faster
moving cold front (the leading edge of a
colder drier air mass wrapping around
the storm).
Occluded front
North of the warm front is a mass of
cooler air that was in place before the
storm even entered the region.
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Occluded front
As the storm intensifies, the cold front
rotates around the storm and catches
the warm front. This forms an occluded
front, which is the boundary that
separates the new cold air mass (to the
west) from the older cool air mass
already in place north of the warm
front.
Occluded front
Symbolically, an occluded front is
represented by a solid line with
alternating triangles and circles pointing
the direction the front is moving. On
colored weather maps, an occluded
front is drawn with a solid purple line.
Occluded front
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Occluded front
Changes in temperature, dew point
temperature, and wind direction can
occur with the passage of an occluded
front.
Occluded front
In the map below, temperatures ahead
(east of) the front were reported in the
low 40's while temperatures behind
(west of) the front were in the 20's and
30's. The lower dew point
temperatures behind the front indicate
the presence of drier air.
Occluded front
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Stationary front
When a warm or cold front stops
moving, it becomes a stationary front.
Once this boundary resumes its
forward motion, it once again becomes
a warm front or cold front.
Stationary front
A stationary front is represented by
alternating blue and red lines with blue
triangles pointing towards the warmer
air and red semicircles pointing towards
the colder air.
•
Stationary front
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Stationary front
• A noticeable temperature change
and/or shift in wind direction is
commonly observed when crossing
from one side of a stationary front to
the other.
Stationary front
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Clouds and weather at fronts
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Sequence of weather at cold fronts
ELEMENT IN WARM SECTOR AT PASSAGE IN THE REAR
Barometer Little change at first; falls Show sudden rise as Continuous rise,
on near approach of front passes. rapid at first
front becoming slower
Wind Steady in direction, then Sudden well-marked Usually fairly steady
backing † a little and veer ‡ often with squall, in direction, except in
becoming squally on sometimes followed by squalls, decreases
near approach of front. slight backing and slowly.
strengthening.
Temperature Little change, but Sudden fall Little change,
marked fall with onset of sometimes slow fall;
frontal rain. varies in showers.
Cloud St, or Sc, then Cu or Cb Cu or Cb with Fs and As, Ac, then Cu and
Fc below, sometimes possibly Cb with blue
very low Ns sky increasing.
Sequence of weather at cold fronts
ELEMENT IN WARM SECTOR AT PASSAGE IN THE REAR
Precipitation Intermittent light rain or Heavy rain, sometimes hail Heavy rain usually
drizzle, sometimes fair. perhaps thunder. clears quickly and is
Heavy rain on near followed by isolated
approach to front. showers becoming less
frequent.
Visibility Moderate or poor, perhaps Reduced further rain. Rapid improvement as
fog. front passes, becomes
very good except in
showers.
NOTE:
† Backing in northern hemisphere, veering in
southern hemisphere
‡ Veering in northern hemisphere, backing in
southern hemisphere
Sequence of weather at warm fronts
ELEMENT IN WARM SECTOR AT PASSAGE IN THE REAR
Barometer Steady fall. Stops falling. Little chne,
sometimes unsteady
in vigorous system.
Wind Increasing; someties Veers. ‡ Steady in direction.
backing a little. †
Temperature Steady or slow rise. Rises. Little change.
Cloud Ci followed by Cs Low Ns and Fs St or Sc.
increasing, then As, then
Ns with Fs below.
Sequence of weather at warm fronts
ELEMENT IN WARM SECTOR AT PASSAGE IN THE REAR
Precipitation * Light rain, soon Rain stops or gives Intermittent slight
becoming continuous way to drizzle. rain, or drizzle,
and slowly increasing to possibly fog;
moderate. sometimes fair.
Visibility Good except in Poor, sometimes mist Moderate or poor;
precipitation or fog. sometimes
widespread mist or
fog.
NOTE:
† Backing in northern hemisphere, veering in southern
hemisphere
‡ Veering in northern hemisphere, backing in southern
hemisphere
* If the air temperature is low enough snow will fall instead of
rain
Summary
• Front and kinds of front
• Weather associated with kind of front
References:
1. -T1- Bowditch, N. The American
Practical Navigator.2002. National
Imagery & Mapping Agency.
Maryland.p.489
2. -T2- Cornish, M. and Ives, E. Reeds
Maritime Meteorology 3rd
Edition.pp.90,92
3. -WR34-
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guid
es/mtr/fw/prs/def.rxml
