FRONTS

AIRMASS
An air mass is a large section of air with uniform
properties of temperature and moisture in horizontal.
May extend thousands of miles.
FRONT - Definition
A front is the boundary between two air masses generally
in motion with different properties.
Usually the comparison is made between the relative
temperature of the air masses. There are two main types of
FRONTS.
1) THE WARM FRONT
2) THE COLD FRONT
WARM FRONT
Warm air over overtaking cold air.
Warm air being lighter glides over cold air mass.
Stratiform of clouds
Shown on chart as Red Line
WARM FRONT
PROPERTIES BEFORE(AHEAD) AT(WHILE) AFTER(BEHIND)

Temperature Cold(steady) Rise Warm(steady)

Pressure Falls(Low) Steady Rise(High)

Winds Back and Strengthen Variable Veer and

Weakening

Clouds ST,NS,AS,CS,CI ST(Fog) Scattered SC

Precipitation Heavy Rain Rain ceases(Drizzle) No Rain

Visibility Good but Poor in Very Poor(Due to Good

Visibility fog)
COLD FRONT
If cold air is over taking a warm air.
Indicated by a blue line.
Cold mass being heavier , cold air undercuts warm air.
 Properties Before(Ahead) At(while) After(Behind)
Temperature Warm Fall Cold
Pressure Low minimum Rise
Winds Back and Gusty(squalls) Weakens Veering
strengthens
Clouds CI,CS,CB CB,CU Isolated CU
Precipitation Heavy shower Heavy showers Heavy shower
due to CB then clearing
Visibility Poor in rain Poor due to rain Poor then clearing
otherwise good
Note :
COLD FRONT WARM FRONT

Rapid movement 30 knots Slow 15 knots average

Cold air pushes under the warm air Rides over cold air

Steep frontal slope 1:50 Shallow frontal slope 1:150

Thunderstrom and showers Drizzle and steady ppt

Cumuliform clouds Stratiform clouds

Turbulent Smooth

Good Visibility outside of showers Poor Visibility

Occluded Front
A front moves at twice the speed of warm front moves
Occluded front formed when a cold front catches up with
warm front.
Cold Occlusion
If a very cold air in the rear is replacing less cold air a
head.
Common in summers.
Warm occlusion
If less cold air in the rear is replacing colder air ahead.
In winters and is less common.
Rossby Waves
Rossby waves are giant meanders in high altitude winds
that area major influence on weather.
In planetary atmosphere, they are due to variation in the
coriolis effect with latitude.
Rossby waves have 4 to 5 ridges and troughs . These
waves are westerly and moves from west to east .
In every 30 to 40 days these increases to 7 to 9 ridges and
troughs and the effect got more pronounced carrying cold
particles to equator.
After some times this low due to its weakening and less
potential get CUT OFF.
Cut off is cold and heavy and fall down to earth in south
direction. And get deflected to right by coriolis force.
Thus in south east direction.
Now when this cut off low reaches the Mediterranean sea
we call it WESTERN DISTURBANCE which travels to
east to caspian sea , Irag, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan
to northern India.
By the time it reached west pakistan they get so low in
height that when they come to northern India they are not
able to cross Himalayas, and thus have to follow the fooot
hills of himalayas towards east.
WD is also known as Extra Tropical Depression.
Popular Occluded Front in India
Occluded front is when Cold front catches up with warm
front.
Popular occluded front in India is WD which happens in
the month of DEC JAN FEB
WD Originates in Mediterranean sea, Caspian sea
WD hit Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand,Delhi,Uttarpradesh and Bihar
They cause radiation fog in NW India.
Frontogenesis
The formation or strengthening of front is called
frontogenesis
Frontolysis
Weakening or dissipation of front .