GPE Chapter 7
Terms
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- Air mass
- An extensive body of air that has relatively uniform properties in the horizontal dimension and moves as an entity.
- Source region
- A part of Earth’s surface that is particularly suited to generate air masses.
- Front
- A zone of discontinuity between unlike air masses
- Warm front
- The leading edge of an advancing warm air mass.
- Cold front
- The leading edge of a cool air mass actively displacing warm air.
- Stationary front
- The common boundary between two air masses in a situation in which neither air mass displaces the other.
- Occluded front
- A complex front formed when a cold front overtakes a warm front.
- Midlatitude cyclones
- Large migratory low-pressure system that occurs within the middle latitudes and moves generally with the westerlies. Also known as extratropical cyclones and wave cyclones.
- Midlatitude anticyclone
- An extensive migratory high-pressure cell of the midlatitudes that moves generally with the westerlies.
- Tropical cyclone
- A storm most significantly affecting the tropics and subtropics, which is intense, revolving, rain-drenched, migratory, destructive, and erratic. Such a storm system consists of a prominent low-pressure center that is essentially circular in shape and has a steep pressure gradient outward from the center. When wind speed reaches 64 knots, they are called hurricanes in North America and the Caribbean.
- Typhoons
- The term used for tropical cyclones affecting the western North Pacific region.
- Baguio
- The term used for a tropical cyclone affecting the Philippines.
- Cyclone
- Low pressure center
- Eye
- The nonstormy center of a tropical cyclone
- Eye Wall
- Peripheral zone at the edge of a tropical cyclone eye where winds reach their highest speed.
- Continental Polar
- An air mass in the midlatitudes that comes in summer and winter. In the winter it brings very cold, dry, and clear weather. Generally seen in regions like Siberia.
- Maritime Polar
- An air mass in the midlatitudes that brings weather that is cool/cold, moist, and cloudy. Generally seen in regions like Alaska and Seattle.
- Maritime Tropical
- An air mass in the midlatitudes that brings warm weather that is very moist and often unstable. Generally proceeds from the Gulf of Mexico.
- Continental Tropical
- An air mass in the midlatitudes that brings hot, dry weather and clear skies. Generally seen in Northwest Mexico and the Southern United States.