5.

Airmasses and fronts

CAE NLS sect5 TB

Air mass and source region

Definition: An air mass is a large body of air whose physical properties, especially temperature and vertical lapse rate, moisture content and vertical distribution of moisture are more or less uniform horizontally. Horizontal dimensions of an air mass are in the order of 1000 km, vertical dimensions in the order of at least 1 km.

CAE NLS sect5 TB

Air masses are formed over so-called source regions. Extensive* surface of uniform temperature and humidity: i.e. oceans, deserts, snow covered areas. If air stays for several days over an uniform area, its temperature becomes the temperature of that area. The air also takes the moisture properties of the source area. High pressure areas are often permenant* for a longer period and therefore most favorite to form airmasses.

CAE NLS sect5 TB

The air mass characteristics depend on: the nature of the source region the direction of movement when leaving the source region the changes that occur as the air mass moves over long distances (temperature, moisture, stability) the age of the airmass The age of an airmass is the time elapsed between the moment of leaving the source region and the moment of observation. the time of the year

CAE NLS sect5 TB

Geographical classification of air masses A P T E E T P

70 A = arctic air P = polar air T = tropical air E = equatorial air

70 45 30

0
30 45

A CAE NLS sect5 TB 5

Geographical classification Continental or maritime if the source region is land the air mass will become less moist/drier continental air if the source region is water the air mass will become more moist/humid maritime air i.e.: continental polar air = cP (dry Polar air) maritime polar air = mP (moist Polar air)

This classification is important for the humidity but also for the temperature. A continental air mass has greater extreme temperatures in winter and summer than a maritime air mass. CAE NLS sect5 TB 6

Air masses 1) 2) 3) 4) Arctic air Polar air Tropical air Equatorial air

Can be continental or maritime

So we have 8 airmasses: cA mA, cP mP, cT mT, cE mE

CAE NLS sect5 TB

Air mass modification is called transformation air mass that leaves its source region will change in temperature and humidity thermodynamic changes: (warming/ cooling) dynamic changes (wind/turbulent mixing) moisture changes: (evaporation/ condensation) i.e.: mT-air cP-air (after a long period)

CAE NLS sect5 TB

Processes to help transformation / Energy change 1. Radiation: transport of energy by electromagnetical waves 2. Conduction: energy flow by contact 3. Turbulence: 3D mixing of air 4. Convection: rising of warm air 5. Diffusion: molecular movements to get homogenity

CAE NLS sect5 TB

Thermodynamic classification of air masses Definition: An air mass has warm mass properties when the temperature at 1.5 m height is higher than the temperature of the underlying earth's surface. An air mass has cold mass properties when the temperature at 1.5 m height is lower than the temperature of the underlying earth's surface.

CAE NLS sect5 TB

10

Warm and cold mass properties

Stability ???

Stable CAE NLS sect5 TB

Unstable 11

WEATHER PHENOMENON stability convection low clouds precipitation unstable yes -

COLD MASS PROPERTIES stable no dry air: 0/8-2/8 Cu moist air: 4/8-7/8 Cu/Cb -

WARM MASS PROPERTIES

dry air: 0/8-18 St/Sc moist air: 7/8-8/8 St/Sc

showery risk of TS risk of hail good/very good except in showers breaks and showers turbulent, gusty winds severe turbulence possible direction: gusty speed: variable with gusts Small ca 10-30 gr little veering slow increase with height

steady light (to mod) RA/DZ no TS, no hail moderate/poor fog, mist, haze, RA/DZ laminar wind mainly light turbulence at SFC direction: steady speed: steady Large up to 70 gr wind veers strongly rapid increase with height at inversion heigt

visibility weather turbulence surface wind angle between surface wind and wind above friction layer veering of wind with increasing height (NH) windspeed in the friction layer

CAE NLS sect5 TB

12

Diurnal variability and differences sea-land daytime/cold* mass/unstable nighttime/warm mass/stable cold sea/warm mass/stable warm land/cold mass/unstable

warm sea/cold mass/unstable cold land/warm mass/stable

CAE NLS sect5 TB

13

Equatorial air can not reach w-europe CAE NLS sect5 TB 14

LOKALE CLASSIFICATIE
voorn. in winter en vroege meestal km voorjaar

s zomers km s winters wm mPL

mPL

mAL

altijd km

cAL cAL cPL

km m l s ta r s s o e me ome z s

m w s

mTL meestal wm s zomers soms km cTL

s zomers wm s winters km

cTL cTL s zomers wm s winters km

altijd wm

CAE NLS sect5 TB

15

Air masses (and fronts)

CAE NLS sect5 TB

16

ZWARE VLOEISTOF of LUCHT DRINGT ONDER LICHTERE: Het grensvlak is het frontvlak

WATER Potentile energie gaat over in kinetische OLIE

energie, beweging van de lucht: WIND De wind verplaatst de fronten.

Koude lucht dringt onder warme lucht! CAE NLS sect5 TB 17

 De Aarde (NH)

Koud

L
Warm

Front

De basis van alles* !! De koud-warm verdeling zorgt voor fronten. Fronten gaan golven*! Er ontstaan depressies en die zorgen voor Wind . CAEvan NLS sect5 TB 18 Zo ontstaat de verdeling Hoge en Lage drukgebieden!

FRONTS Definitions: The frontal surface is the boundary between 2 air masses. (100 to 2000 m thick) A front is the intersection line of a frontal surface with the earth. The frontal slope ( ) is the angle between the frontal surface and the earth.

CAE NLS sect5 TB

19

When the warmer air moves towards the colder air, when the warmer* mass is replacing the colder, the front is called a warm front. (WF)

Frontal slope 1:100-200 CAE NLS sect5 TB 20

Movement of front

Warm

Cold

FZL

Embedded CB

CAE NLS sect5 TB

21

When the colder air moves towards the warmer air, when the colder air is gaining ground, the front is named a cold front. (CF)

Frontal slope: 1:50-100 CAE NLS sect5 TB 22

Movement of front

Warm

Cold

Embedded CB

Makkelijker bij KF
CAE NLS sect5 TB 23

Frontal wave 1) Low is on wave top 2) Wave top is pointing to cold air 3) Cold air is moving S, warm air is moving N (NH)*

Cold air is heavier than warm air!!! *

CAE NLS sect5 TB 24

VERTICALE DOORSNEDE DOOR EEN FRONTALE GOLF TOONT DE VERDELING VAN WARME EN KOUDE LUCHT
N W S E

koude lucht

warme lucht

koude lucht 25

CAE NLS sect5 TB

VERANDERING VAN HET ISOBARENPATROON ROND EEN VORMENDE FRONTALE GOLF

1005 1010

1005 1000 1010

CAE NLS sect5 TB

26

AFSTAND/HOOGTE-VERHOUDING BIJ EEN HELLING VAN 1:200

LAK V T N FRO

CAE NLS sect5 TB

27

The symbols along the front are always situated in the direction of movement of the front.

When there is little or no change in position, when there is no movement of one air mass compared with the other, the front is said quasi-stationary or stationary. CAE NLS sect5 TB 28

FRONTS and there MOVEMENTS

COLD

WARM SURFACE

Which front? Coldfront!! (CF)

CAE NLS sect5 TB

29

FRONTS and there MOVEMENTS

COLD

WARM SURFACE

Which front? Warmfront (WF)

CAE NLS sect5 TB

30

Oefening fronten kleuren

CAE NLS sect5 TB

31

Occlusions

WARM COLD COLD SURFACE 1) Coldfront is less sloping than warmfront 2) Coldfront is moving faster (in same gradient) than warmfront (more cold airmass properties, less friction) So warm sector becomes smaller CAE NLS sect5 TB 32

Occlusions WARM COLD COLD SURFACE

CF overtakes WF Occlusion proces starts Resulting in two possibilities: 1. 2.

W CC C C
CAE NLS sect5 TB

W CC
WF occlusion 33

CF occlusion

Occlusions 1.

2.

CC

CC

CF occlusion: sfc front is CF

WF occlusion. sfc front is WF

CC

CC

CAE NLS sect5 TB

34

When the coldest air (CC) is situated in advance of the warm front, the warm front remains on the surface, while the cold front is lifted along the warm frontal surface, with the formation of a warm front occlusion. The cold front becomes an upper cold front.

Warm front occlusion CAE NLS sect5 TB 35

When the coldest air (CC) is situated at the rear of the cold front, the cold front remains in contact with the surface, while the warm front is lifted along the cold frontal surface, with the formation of a cold front occlusion. The warm front is now an upper warm front.

Cold front occlusion CAE NLS sect5 TB 36

CAE NLS sect5 TB

37

CAE NLS sect5 TB

38

Frontal inversion

CAE NLS sect5 TB

39

DE FRONTALE INVERSIE

WARM KOUD

CAE NLS sect5 TB

40

Geographical classification of fronts

70 45 30

A P T E E T P

Arctic front Polar front Subtropical front Intertropical front* Subtropical front Polar front Arctic front

0
30 45 A = arctic air P = polar air T = tropical air E = equatorial air 70

A CAE NLS sect5 TB

41

GEOGRAFISCHE INDELING
ARCTISCHE FRONT
arctische lucht en polaire lucht

POLAIRE FRONT
polaire lucht en tropische lucht

TROPISCHE FRONT
tropische lucht en equatoriale lucht

INTER TROPISCHE CONVERGENTIE ZONE

equatoriale lucht noordelijk halfrond en equatoriale lucht zuidelijk halfrond

CAE NLS sect5 TB

42

Pressure and wind shift on fronts (page 5-15)

CAE NLS sect5 TB

43

Pressure falling at approaching warmfront due to replacement of cold (heavy) air by warm (light) air due to lifting of fast amounts of air

Strong pressure drop

CAE NLS sect5 TB

44

N 1010

Coldfront

Low pressure

1015 Wind? W Wind?

SW

High pressure
CAE NLS sect5 TB 45

Isallobar : line of equal pressure falling or rising Isallobaric minimum/maximum (Fig. 5.19)

CAE NLS sect5 TB

46

CAE NLS sect5 TB Sheet 47

47

CAE NLS sect5 TB Sheet 48

48

CONCLUSIONS: There is a kink of the isobars along the front towards higher pressure. The wind veers at the passage of a front in the northern hemisphere. There is an isallobaric minimum and upgliding ahead of the warm front. There is an isallobaric maximum and subsidence at the rear of the cold front.

CAE NLS sect5 TB

49

1000 995

1005

L
1010 1015
X X X X X X X

X 1020

18.000 6000

FZL SFC X
X X X X X X X

CAE NLS sect5 TB

50

21 juni 12 utc
995

1000

1005

The polar front

L
1010 1015
X X X X X X X

A
pressure: 1021 hPa Wind: 24005 kt. clouds: Cs/Cu

1020

6 km precipetation: dry

airmass:
FZL SFC X
X X X X X X X

PL

2 km

T/Td: 15/10 C Stability: unstabele good low

visibility: FZL:

CAE NLS sect5 TB

51

CAE NLS sect5 TB

52

CAE NLS sect5 TB

53

21 juni 12 utc
995

1000

1005

The polar front

L
1010 1015
X X X X X X X

X 1020

B
pressure: 1018 hPa Wind: 18010 kt. clouds: As/Ns

6 km precipetation:rain

airmass:
FZL SFC X
X X X X X X X

PL

2 km

T/Td: 14/11 C Stability: More stable

visibility: less

CAE NLS sect5 TB

54

FZL:

low

CAE NLS sect5 TB

55

21 juni 12 utc
995

1000

1005

The polar front

L
1010 1015
X X X X X X X

X 1020

C
pressure: 1015 hPa Wind: 16015 kt. clouds: Sc/St

6 km precipetation: rain

airmass:
FZL SFC X
X X X X X X X

PL

2 km

T/Td: 13/12 C Stability: stable

visibility: bad FZL: high

CAE NLS sect5 TB

56

CAE NLS sect5 TB

57

21 juni 12 utc
995

1000

1005

the polar front

L
1010 1015
X X X X X X X

X 1020

D
pressure: 1012 hPa Wind: 24012 kt. clouds: Sc/Ac

6 km precipetation: dry

Airmass:
FZL SFC X
X X X X X X X

TL

2 km

T/Td: 20/15 C Stability: unstable

visibility: better FZL: high

CAE NLS sect5 TB

58

CAE NLS sect5 TB

59

21 juni 12 utc
995

1000

1005

The polar front

L
1010 1015
X X X X X X X

X 1020

E
pressure: 1012 hPa Wind: 24012 kt. clouds: St/Sc/As

6 km precipetation: rain

airmass:
FZL SFC X
X X X X X X X

TL

2 km

T/Td: 19/16 C Stability:More stable

visibility: less FZL: high

CAE NLS sect5 TB

60

CAE NLS sect5 TB

61

21 juni 12 utc
995

1000

1005

The polar front

L
1010 1015
X X X X X X X

X 1020

F
pressure: 1016 hPa Wind: 29010 kt. clouds: Ci Cu/Cb

6 kmprecipetation: dry shower

airmass:
FZL SFC X
X X X X X X X

PL

2 km

T/Td: 10/05 C Stability: unstable good bad lowest

visibility: FZL:

CAE NLS sect5 TB

62

CAE NLS sect5 TB

63

CAE NLS sect5 TB

64

21 juni 12 utc
995

1000

1005

The polar front

L
1010 1015
X X X X X X X

X 1020

G
pressure: 1017 hPa Wind: 18005 kt. clouds: Cu

6 km precipetation: dry

airmass:
FZL SFC X
X X X X X X X

PL

2 km

T/Td: 11/05 C Stability: unstable

visibility: good FZL: lowest

CAE NLS sect5 TB

65

CAE NLS sect5 TB

66

At which airport is the following weather development taking place? TAF 060600Z 060716 25006KT 8000 BKN240 BECMG 0710 OVC200 BECMG 1013 23010KT 8000 OVC100 BECMG 1316 23014KT 6000 RA SCT030 OVC050= SFC 06Z

CAE NLS sect5 TB

67

A
Pressure Wind Clouds
precipetation

B
1018 hPa ZZW10kt As/Ns Rain PL 14/11 C more Stable

C
1015 hPa ZZO15kt Sc/St Rain PL 13/12 C Stable

D
1012 hPa ZW 12kt Sc/Ac Dry TL 20/15 C unstable

E
1012 hPa ZW 12kt St/Sc/As Rain TL 19/16 C More stable less

F
1016 hPa WNW 10 Cs Cu/Cb
Dry/shower

G
1017 hPa Z 5kt Cu dry PL 11/05 C unstable

1021 hPa ZW 5kt Cs/Cu Dry PL 15/10C unstable

aitmass T/Td stability

PL 10/05 C unstable

visibility

Good

Less

CAE NLS sect5 TB

bad

better

68

Good/bad

good

Conclusions: approching warmfront: dropping pressure backing and increasing wind Lowering cloudbase starting to rain visibility decreasing Passing warmfront: veering of wind rising of temperature some breaks in clouds CAE NLS sect5 TB 69

Conclusions: Approaching coldfront: clouds increasing fast greater intensity of rain

Passing coldfront:

pressure rising veering of wind breaking of clouds dry/shower falling of temperature

CAE NLS sect5 TB

70

Frontogenesis and frontolyse Definition: Frontogenesis is the initial formation or the intensification of a frontal surface or front. Frontolysis is the dissipation or weakening of a frontal surface or front.

CAE NLS sect5 TB

71

COL (zadel) frontogenesis Along outflow axis !!!

H L L
12 10 8C

H
18 16 14C

Outflow axis

CAE NLS sect5 TB

72

COL frontolyse

Along Inflow axis !!!

H L L

Inflow axis

CAE NLS sect5 TB

73

Fig 5.26 page 5.24

MIND YOU 1: Warm land = Summer, Spring Cold land = Winter, fall MIND YOU 2 : relative temperatures!! CAE NLS sect5 TB 74

Life cycle of a mid latitude low

CAE NLS sect5 TB

75

Een mooi simpel voorbeeld

CAE NLS sect5 TB

76

Back-bent occlusion (fig.5.31)

Back-bent occlusion acts as a coldfront!

CAE NLS sect5 TB

77

Influence of mountainous area on a frontal passage

Influence of a mountain barrier on a warm front passage: The WF becomes a upper front!

The cold air at the surface, is hard to remove*

CAE NLS sect5 TB

78

EEN WARMTEFRONT GLIJDT OVER EEN KOUDE PLAKLAAG

KK

KK

KK

KK

Often in winter: cold air is heavy, strong friction! CAE NLS sect5 TB 79

Influence of mountainous area on a frontal passage

Influence of a mountain barrier on a cold front passage: no or little influence!

CAE NLS sect5 TB

80

Depressie familie

CAE NLS sect5 TB Sheet 81

81