The United Kingdom Environmental Change Network

Fronts

So you want to learn about Fronts.

What is a front?

Daily variations in the weather are caused by the influence of different air masses.  The front is the point where these different air masses meet.  Fronts can either be Warm, Cold, or Occluded. 

 

The Formation of a Cold Front

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/af/frnts/home.rxml

This diagram shows the formation of a cold front.  A cold front forms at the boundary between a warm air mass and a cold air mass.  In this case, the cold air pushes underneath the warm air.  This happens because the warm air is lighter than cold air which is dense and heavy. 

Clouds are formed when the warm air rises, and cools and condenses.

Fronts are seen on a satellite weather photograph as thick bands of clouds.                                                              

Do you want to learn more about:

•         Warm Fronts? (Warmer air is replacing cooler air)

•         Cold Fronts? (Cooler air is replacing warmer air)

•        Occluded Fronts? (When a cold front catches a warm front)

Or choose a new tutorial?