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NEWS

What Are the Four Types of Air Mass?

•••

Updated June 19, 2019

By Susan Sherwood

It’s not abstract art; it’s a weather map. Some weather maps have colorful blobs that
give information about conditions in the air. When a large section of air has consistent
temperature and humidity throughout, it’s an air mass.

Meteorologists classify air masses by one of four “source regions” or locations of

origin. These 4 types of air masses form over particular regions. These regions are
usually large and flat with consistent formations, such as oceans or deserts.

Air Mass Definition

The air mass definition can be deduced logically from the name: it's a large mass of
air. Specifically, it is a large area of air that has taken on the characteristics,
temperature and moisture levels from the land and/or water that is below it. The size
of air masses are hundreds to thousands of miles across. The humidity, temperature
and other characteristics are uniform throughout the air mass.

The boundaries between air masses are called fronts.

4 Types of Air Masses

Generally, there are four types of air masses that can be further categorized with
specifics of where they occur and over water or land. The 4 types of air masses are
polar, tropical, continental and maritime. Their classification depends on their location
where they are formed.

Type 1: The Coldest of All

Air masses at the Polar Regions form between 60 degrees latitude and the North or
South Pole. Northern Canada and Siberia are common sources of these cold, dry
masses, although they can also form over water.

Because they are extremely dry, polar masses have few clouds. Meteorologists use a
capital P to refer to these masses. Some resources differentiate between polar air
masses and extremely cold ones that form very close to the poles. Arctic masses are
abbreviated with an “A,” while Antarctic masses use “AA.”

Type 2: Warming Up

Tropical air masses form within 25 degrees latitude of the equator. This means that
the temperature will be warm or even hot. These masses, abbreviated with a “T,” can
develop over land or water. Source regions include the Gulf of Mexico, southwestern
United States and northern Mexico. As the air from these air masses moves over the
land of the US, they will rapidly cool and usually result in precipitation and storms.

Type 3: Land Ho!

Continental air masses develop between 25 and 60 degrees latitude, either north or
south of the equator. As indicated by their name, they form over large land areas, so
they're dry. Since meteorologists consider this a secondary classification, it’s
represented by a lower case “c.” When describing an air mass, meteorologists indicate
both the humidity and temperature, in that order.

For example, an air mass that originates over northern land is labeled “cP” for
continental and polar regions. This air is dry and cold. A very dry and hot air mass that
forms around the U.S. and Mexican border is labeled “cT” -- continental and tropical.

This usually does not include air masses that form over mountainous regions.
Type 4: Water, Water Everywhere

Air masses with high humidity form over oceans. This “maritime” classification
corresponds to the same latitudes as continental masses. It is also considered a
secondary category and is abbreviated “m.” Therefore, a humid, cold mass that
develops over polar oceans is categorized as “mP.”

This type of air mass impacts the U.S. west coast in winter. Humid and warm air
masses often come from the Gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic Ocean and are
labeled “mT.” These have a strong effect on weather in the American southwest.

References
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What Are the Six Types of Air Masses?

•••

Updated November 22, 2019

By Cindy Orlowski

An air mass is a very large body of air that has a similar temperature and humidity in
any horizontal direction. It can cover hundreds of thousands of square miles.
According to the Bergeron Climatic Classification System, air masses form when a
surface source region (continental or maritime) combines with a latitude source region
(tropical, polar, arctic or Antarctic).

Air masses are defined by the surface they're over along with characteristics that they
take on from those surfaces (moisture, temperature, heat, etc). Each of the air mass
types produce different weather and can affect the earth’s climate for days or months.

Air Mass Definition

An air mass is a body of air that extends horizontally; within that horizontal body of air,
temperature and humidity re the same/similar. These masses of air form when air is
stagnant (aka sits still) over a certain uniform area for a long period of time.

It takes on temperature and moisture based on what area of the surface of the earth
the mass is positioned over. They're then able to be classified based on the location of
the mass, what kind of land/water/surface it's positioned over and the characteristics it
takes on from those locations (temperature, heat, moisture, etc).
Read more about air mass influences climate.

Continental Polar

The continental polar air mass forms over a large, subpolar land area. It is cold and
stable and has low humidity. This type of air mass creates very cold winter weather
without precipitation or clouds. It is often responsible for lengthy cold spells that result
in crop damage as far south as Florida. During the summer, this type of air mass can
bring cooling relief to the northern United States with its cold air and winds.
Read more about how air mass influences weather of the pacific coast.

Continental Arctic

The continental Arctic air mass develops only in the winter over large areas of snow
and ice. It is extremely cold and dry due to frigid conditions near the polar circle,
caused in part by polar nights, which are periods of 24-hour darkness. This air mass
can produce record-breaking cold temperatures in Canada and the United States.

Continental Antarctic

As the name suggests, the continental Antarctic air mass forms solely over Antarctica.
It is stable, extremely cold and extremely dry. It has colder temperatures than any
other air mass during any season. Travel over the ocean modifies this air mass. By
the time it reaches land in the Southern Hemisphere, it usually changes classification
to maritime polar as it is no longer over the antarctic source surface area.
Continental Tropical

Continental tropical air is produced over the world’s deserts, including the Sahara,
Arabian and Australian deserts. The southwestern desert in the U.S. is also a source
of this type of air mass during the summer. The air mass is hot and has extremely low
humidity. It affects summer weather and is capable of causing drought if it lingers over
a region. Heat waves that result in human and animal deaths can be caused by this air
mass.

Maritime Polar

The maritime polar air mass forms over cold, polar oceans. It is cool and moist and
can create mild weather in coastal areas depending on the time of year. In the winter,
it produces warmer weather when the surface temperature of the ocean is higher than
the land temperature. In the summer, it brings cooler weather when the ocean is
colder than the continent.

Maritime Tropical

The principal type of maritime air is maritime tropical. This very warm and humid air
mass develops over tropical and subtropical seas and oceans. It creates rainy
conditions east of the Rocky Mountains in the winter, particularly in the southeastern
United States.

References
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