Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Frontal Depressions - Types of Fronts, Weather Associated and Frontolysis
Frontal Depressions - Types of Fronts, Weather Associated and Frontolysis
Frontal Depressions - Types of Fronts, Weather Associated and Frontolysis
YOU ARE HERE: HOME / METEOROLOGY / FRONTAL DEPRESSIONS – TYPES OF FRONTS, WEATHER ASSOCIATED AND
FRONTOLYSIS
They are represented on maps with a two-letter symbol. The first letter indicates the moisture
level of the air mass, and the second letter represents the temperature of the air mass.
FRONT
The boundary between two adjacent air masses which are well defined by their di#erent
characteristics is called a front. The two air masses should have di#erent density, pressure and
temperature and should have originated from di#erent source regions of di#erent latitudes.
TYPES OF FRONT
On the basis of Direction in which the air mass is moving
1. Arctic Front – It is located between the very cold arctic air and less cold polar air. The
temperature di#erence across the front is small, contrasts are therefore small. The
circulation activity connected with this front is weak.
2. Polar Front – It is located between the Polar Air and the Tropical air and is the most active
front with large contrasts in the physical properties of the air masses. It is very vigorous in
behaviour.
3. Inter-tropical Front (ITCZ Front) – It is found in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone
(ITCZ) between the opposing trade wind belts. It has a very small contrast in the physical
properties of the opposing air masses. The frontal activity is very weak.
1. Cold
Cold Front
– Picture Courtesy: https://climate.ncsu.edu/
Front – After a front passes over a place, if the atmospheric temperature is lower than
before, the front is called a cold front. They tend to move faster than all other types of
fronts. They move the farthest while maintaining their intensity. They are generally
associated with the most violent weather among all types of fronts. They have associated
with strong thunderstorms along & ahead of the front and a broad area of clouds
immediately behind the front. They are usually associated with squall lines which are a
line of strong thunderstorm parallel to and ahead of the front. They usually bring cooler
weather, clear skies and sharp changes in wind direction. On weather maps, blue line
denotes cold front. In facsimile, conical symbols (like icicles) are used to denote cold
front.
2. Warm
Warm Front
– Picture Courtesy: https://climate.ncsu.edu/
Front – After a front passes over a place, if the atmosphere temperature is higher than
before, the front is said to be a warm front. The warm front has a gentler slope than the
cold fronts. Warm fronts tend to move slowly. They are generally less violent than cold
fronts. They are generally associated with large regions of a gentle ascent, stratiform
clouds and light to moderate continuous rain. Behind the warm front, the skies are
relatively clear. A warm front if exists on a weather map, it will be to the NE of a cold front
and often, to the East of a surface low-pressure area. On a weather map, red line denotes
warm front. In facsimile, rounded symbols (like heat boils) are used to denote the warm
fronts.
3. Occluded front – A type of frontal boundary that occurs when the cold front catches up
with the warm front. If a fast-moving cold air mass overtakes a slower-moving warm front
and then continues advancing and catches another cold front, an occluded front forms.
Weather associated with the occluded front is similar to the weather associated with a
cold front.
4. Stationary Front – When a cold air mass and a warm air mass parallel each other with
little horizontal movement, stationary front forms. Weather is similar to a warm front,
although it may possibly last a long time.
FRONTAL DEPRESSION
Precipitation stops, but mist or fog is present, because of which, visibility is poor.
C) At Point ‘C’: After the Warm Front, before the Cold Front
D) At Point ‘D’: At the Cold Front / Just after Cold Front passes
FRONTOLYSIS
Frontolysis is the decay or weakening and final dissipation of a frontal depression.
Frontolysis
4. If after the passage of an occlusion, the air temperature is lower than before, the
occlusion is said to be cold occlusion.
5. If after the passage of an occlusion, the air temperature is higher than before, the
occlusion is said to be a warm occlusion.
6. On the passage of an occlusion, the wind veers more for cold occlusions than for warm.
(backs in SH)
7. Weather associated with warm and cold occlusions is similar to that of the warm and
cold front but just milder.
8. Within a few days of the occlusions, the frontal depression fills up and is no longer visible
on the weather maps.
It would be interesting to read Clouds – Formation and Ten di#erent Types. Weather
associated with Frontal Depression and Frontolysis is sourced from Marine Meteorology book
by Capt. Subramaniam for study purposes only.
BY CULT OF SEA
FILED UNDER: METEOROLOGY
TAGGED WITH: AIR MASS, AIR MASSES, COLD FRONT, FRONT, FRONTAL, FRONTAL DEPRESSION, FRONTOGENESIS,
FRONTOLYSIS, OCCLUSIONS, WARM FRONT
Comments
praise says
JUNE 30, 2021 AT 2:34 AM
Reply
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *
Website
POST COMMENT
report this ad
Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stu! and updates to your email inbox.
Email *
Subscribe
EmailFacebook
Twitter
Print Messenger
LinkedInShare
report this ad