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WatA 4.4
Air Masses
Term | Definition |
---|---|
air mass | A huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height. |
tropical | A warm air mass that forms in the tropics and has low air pressure. |
polar | A cold air mass that forms north of 50° north latitude or south of 50° south latitude and has high air pressure. |
maritime | A humid air mass that forms over oceans. |
continental | A dry air mass that forms over land. |
jet stream | Bands of high-speed winds about 10 kilometers above Earth’s surface. |
front | The boundary where unlike air masses meet but do not mix. |
occluded | Cut off, as in a front where a warm air mass is caught between two cooler air masses. |
cyclone | A swirling center of low air pressure. |
anticyclone | A high-pressure center of dry air. |