Name: ________________

Understanding Weather Fronts Using Surface Maps

Air temperature determines what type of precipitation an area will receive. There are 4 types: ​rain​, ​sleet​, ​hail​, and ​snow​.
Precipitation ​occurs after condensation has happened and air is no longer able to keep the moisture aloft. ​Rain ​occurs when
liquid water falls. The larger the rain drops the more time the liquid stays within the cloud gaining mass. ​Snow ​occurs when
water vapor changes to a solid. ​Sleet ​happens when snow passes through a warm layer of air, melts and then freezes as it
approaches the ground. ​Freezing rain ​can happen when rain falls through the atmosphere and hits frigid air close to the
surface so that the moment it hits an object it freezes. ​Hail ​is formed in cumulonimbus clouds as water drops rise and fall
through the cloud collecting moisture at the base of the cloud and freezing near the top of the cloud. Remember cumulonimbus
clouds can get to about 18,000 meters or 60,000 feet.

Air masses​ are large bodies of air that have relatively the same
temperature and humidity. Their temperature and humidity are based on
the direction they come in from. Air masses determine the changes in
weather.

North American Air Masses Coming From:

● Over Ocean: maritime (m)
● Over land: continental (c)
● Way up north: Arctic (A)
● From the north: Polar (P)
● From the south: Tropical (T)

So if an air mass comes from over an ocean in the north you would call
the air mass Maritime polar or mP which brings in cold wet air. An air
mass coming from the south and over a continent would be called Continental tropical or cT and would bring in warm dry air.

1. Fill in the map to the right with the different types of air masses. An example is done for you.

2. What would an air mass be like if it came from the north and over the land?

3. What would an air mass be like that came in from the south and over the ocean?

Remember that atmospheric pressure affects weather patterns as well. High pressure occurs
when heavy air sinks making cloud formation difficult, therefore the area would have clear
weather. Low pressure occurs when less dense air rises quickly taking moisture with it causing
cloud growth and eventually stormy weather.

Weather ​fronts ​are boundaries between two different air masses. Stormy weather happens at
these boundaries. Air masses with different temperatures don’t mix because they have different
densities. ​ Cold fronts ​happen when a cooler air mass moves under a warm air mass
causing air to rise and eventually condensate. Cold fronts on a weather map are
symbolized with a string of blue triangles. Cold fronts tend to cause stormy weather and
contain cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds.

Warm fronts​ happen when a warmer air mass moves over a

cooler air mass, rising relatively slowly. Warm fronts are going to have wide bands of
precipitation and be preceded by high cirrus clouds. These types of fronts are symbolized
as a string of red lumps.

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An ​occluded front​ happens when two cold air masses merge together pinching
warmer air causing it to rise. Strong wind and heavy
precipitation can occur. Occluded fronts are symbolized
with purple triangles and lumps.

The last type of front is called a ​stationary front.​ Air pressure differences cause a
warm front or cold front to stop moving. These types of fronts can stay in one place for
days. Weather along these fronts include light wind and precipitation. Stationary fronts are
symbolized by a string of red lumps and blue triangles.

Now that you are familiar with air masses and fronts go to the following website: ​https://earthscience.xyz/surface​ ​ ​ This website
contains an analysis of the current surface weather in North America. It shows the locations of all the high and low air pressure
areas as well as all of the different fronts and current areas of precipitation.

4. List all of the states that currently have a high pressure system. (If you don’t know your states, look it up.)

5. List all of the states that currently have a low pressure system.

6. Fill in the following table:

Cold Warm Occluded Stationary

List states with the

following fronts. If
one type of front is
not found on the
map, place an X
inside the cell.

7. Describe the weather in areas with high pressure systems?

8. Describe the weather in areas with low pressure systems?

9. Locate your state on the map. What type of front and pressure system does your state currently have?

Go to the following link. ​https://earthscience.xyz/surface3​ It will take you to another surface map that shows a 12 hour forecast.
You can select different regions within the United States. Use the region selector to zoom the map in to view your state closer.

Scroll to the bottom of the screen to view the 24, 36, and 48 hour surface forecast maps.

10. Fill in the following table for your state based on the surface analysis forecast for each time period:
Time period Type of Front Type of Pressure Explain why the weather is
the way it is for each of the
time periods.

12 hours

24 hours

36 hours

48 hours

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 Teacher Instruction and Reflections
Instructions:
1. I have the students read the first four paragraphs and answer number 1-3 and fill in the map first first.
2. We then do whole class instruction and discussion talking about the different types of precipitation and why it
is important to understand where the air masses come from and how these directions dictate the type of
weather certain areas might have.
a. As part of that discussion I also show the following youtube videos or at least parts of them.
i. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33X49ohI5_Q
1. This video does a great job explaining how sleet and freezing rain form
ii. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBHbW3_AOYA​ and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0aS0Tdy_lQ
1. These videos are great at showing the results of freezing rain. I don’t show the whole
videos, just skim through them showing some of the crazy results of freezing rain.
3. I have the students work on the rest of the assignment which discusses fronts and analyzes current surface
analysis of weather using ​intellicast.com

Reflections
1. Some years have better surface weather charts than others. I make it a point to discuss this. Sometimes
weather in your local area stays pretty stagnant so when analyzing your location, and if it is not the greatest
weather example, I show other parts of the country when doing the whole group discussion.
2. Some years we don’t have all of the different types of fronts which is kind of a bummer, but happens. I have
them place an X in the front that is missing.
3. Sometimes there are two fronts together and it is difficult to realize that the warm front and cold front attached
to each other are actually a stationary and cold front combined. To get around this I demonstrate to the
students that if you can’t tell 100 percent sure what type of front from the overall US map that they can click
on regions and it will zoom in and separate the fronts.

a.
4. High pressure for the most part is supposed to be very fair weather because clouds have a hard time forming
and low pressure systems for the most part are supposed to be full of clouds and have storms. Sometimes
you don’t see any stormy weather next to a low and you see clouds where the highs are at. If this happens, it
just adds to the discussion as to why and also demonstrates that weather is fickle and more conditions than
just having a high and a low determine weather types.
5. The fourth column on number 10 asks students why weather for the different time periods is the way it is.
Many students just blow through this section without giving it a good thought or answer. The question is
meant for students to analyze their state and try to understand the weather patterns that are coming to the
area within the next 48 hours.

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