What is continental air mass?
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Asked by: Angela Johnson
continental air mass. noun. large volume of dry air that forms over land.
What air mass is in Antarctica?
A cold, dry air mass developed over the continent of Antarctica. Antarctic air is generally colder at the surface in all seasons, and at all levels in austral (Southern Hemisphere) autumn and winter, than arctic air.
What is arctic or Antarctic air mass?
Arctic air masses, designated by the letter ‘A’, are very cold as they originate over the Arctic or Antarctic regions. Polar air masses, designated by the letter ‘P’, are not as cold as Arctic air masses as they originate over the higher latitudes of both land and sea.
What is a continental tropical air mass?
The continental Tropical (cT) air mass originates in arid or desert regions in the middle or lower latitudes, principally during the summer season. It is strongly heated in general, but its moisture content is so low that the intense dry convection normally fails to reach the condensation level.
What are the 6 types of air masses?
This gives us six total types of air masses on Earth: maritime arctic (mA), maritime polar (mP), maritime tropical (mT); and continental arctic (cA), continental polar (cP) and continental tropical (cT).
Where does a continental air mass form?
Continental air masses develop either north or south of the equator, between 25 and 60 degrees latitude. These air masses are dry, as they form over large land areas.
Where is the continental tropical air mass?
Continental Tropical (cT): Hot and very dry. They usually form over the Desert Southwest and northern Mexico during summer. They can bring record heat to the Plains and the Mississippi Valley during summer, but they usually do not make it to the East and the Southeast.
What type of air mass is cold and dry?
Type 3: Land Ho!
For example, an air mass that originates over northern land is labeled “cP” for continental and polar regions. This air is dry and cold.
What are the 5 types of air masses?
The air masses in and around North America include the continental arctic (cA), maritime polar (mP), maritime tropical (mT), continental tropical (cT), and continental polar (cP) air masses.
