What Is Weather Front?

Maps of Weather Front

A weather front is a transition zone between two different air mass. Each air mass has its own characteristics. The front is often the place where two different air mass come together.

Clouds and storms can be caused by turbulence. The fronts move across the Earth. Jet Streams are often used to guide the direction of movement.

Mountains can change the path of a front. The winds become strong as the cold front passes. There is a sudden drop in temperature and sometimes heavy rain.

The pressure changes at the front. After a cold front moves through your area, you may notice that the temperature is cooler, the rain has stopped, and the clouds are gone. The map on the left shows a cold front with a blue line and filled-in triangles.

The triangles are pointing in the same direction as the front is moving. As you cross the front line, the ground level temperatures will change from warm to cold. There are differences in air temperature and wind on the opposite side of the boundary because of a stationary front.

The boundary between the two air masses is called a weather front. The two air mass have different densities, based on temperature, and can't mix. A low pressure zone is created when one air mass is lifted above the other.

There will be precipitation if the lifted air is moist. At a front, winds are common. A front may bring rain, fog, and drizzle.

The winds blow in opposite directions. The front will break apart after a few days. A cold front is when a warm air mass is replaced by a cold air mass.

A warm air mass moves over a cold air mass. The atmosphere is stable when warm, less dense air moves over the cold, denser air. Imagine that you are on the ground in the wintertime under a cold winter air mass with a warm front approaching.

The first signs of changing weather appear long before the front is over you because the transition from cold air to warm air takes place over a long distance. The air is cold when you first get it, but warm when you get it. The transition from one air mass to the other is marked by high clouds.

Weather and Fronts

The weather is associated with a specific type of front. Whether your meteorologist talks about cold fronts, warm fronts, or stationary fronts, some atmospheric condition inevitably gets associated with it. The front has unique weather conditions.

An occluded front needs to be understood even though it doesn't happen often. It is important to explain how an occluded front develops. Even when the weather is the same, it is not always the same.

The case with an occluded front is that certain types of weather patterns can be associated with a specific weather system. The cold front pushes underneath the warm front to lift the warm air behind it. As warm air is forced upwards, it allows the water in the air to cool down and cause precipitation.

Cold weather fronts

A cold weather front is when a cold air mass is replacing a warm air mass. Cold weather fronts move from one side to the other. The air behind a cold front is not as warm as the air in front.

Within an hour, temperatures can drop more than 15 degrees. A cold front is represented by a solid line with blue triangles along the front pointing towards the warmer air and in the direction of movement on a weather forecast map. There is a temperature change from one side of the cold front to the other.

It has been known that the temperature east of a cold front could be 55 degrees, while the temperature behind the cold front could be 38 degrees. A temperature change over a short distance is a good indicator of where a front is located. A warm weather front is when a warm air mass is replacing a cold air mass.

The National Weather Service Forecast Map

A high pressure system is a dense air mass that is cooler and less humid than the surrounding air. A low pressure system is usually a less dense air mass that is warmer than the surrounding air. Areas that experience high atmospheric pressure are more likely to have fair weather.

Clouds and storms can be formed by low pressure systems. Air usually flows from high pressure to low pressure. A warm front is when a mass of warm air moves to replace a mass of cold air.

A warm front is usually drawn using a red line and half circles to point the way of the cold air that will be replaced. Warm fronts move from one side to the other. A warm front can bring some rain, but then clear skies and warm temperatures.

A cold front is when a mass of cold air moves in to replace warm air. A cold front is usually drawn on a weather map with a solid blue line and triangles pointing in the direction of warm air that will be replaced. Cold fronts can move from northwest to southeast.

A cold front can bring cold temperatures and heavy rains. A cold front and warm front meet up, but neither moves out of the way. A stationary front is usually drawn using alternating cold front and warm front symbols.

The weather in the tropics

Different types of weather conditions are brought with the air masses. The front is the transition between two different air mass types. There are four basic types of fronts, and the weather associated with them varies.

Warm fronts are the leading edge of warm air moving northward. The winds are easterly before the front passes. The cloud cover may be heavy ahead of the front with the chance of rain increasing.

After that, winds will usually remain southerly or become southwesterly, and temperatures will warm rapidly. The warm air has higher humidity. A cold front overtakes a warm front.

There are cold and warm areas. Behind the front, the cold air is found. A warm occlusion is characterized by warmer air behind the front.

Weather Maps and Sky Cover Symbol

If a weather map has already been analyzed, you won't find much use for the station plot data. Station plot data is the most important information you start with when analyzing a weather map. Having a map of all stations helps you decide where to draw in high- and low-pressure systems, fronts, and the like.

Sky cover symbols have been established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The percentage that the circle is filled is a good indicator of the amount of sky that's covered with clouds. The sky cover circle has a line that extends out.