What is a cold occlusion?

A cold occlusion occurs when a cold front lifts a warm front. In the case of a cold front and a warm front, there are typically two air masses that are interacting. On the diagram below, just behind the cold front there are shown to be two air masses. The colder dense air at the surface and a different air mass aloft.

Keeping this in consideration, how does a cold front occlusion develop?

A cold occlusion results when the statically more stable air is behind the cold front. The cold front undercuts the warm front. When the statically more stable air lies ahead of the warm front, a warm occlusion is formed in which the original cold front is forced aloft at the warm- front surface.

Secondly, what happens when an occlusion occurs? This forms an occluded front, which is the boundary that separates the new cold air mass (to the west) from the older cool air mass already in place north of the warm front. Changes in temperature, dew point temperature, and wind direction can occur with the passage of an occluded front.

Correspondingly, what is a cold occluded front?

In meteorology, an occluded front is a weather front formed during the process of cyclogenesis, when a cold front overtakes a warm front. When this occurs, the warm air is separated (occluded) from the cyclone center at the Earth's surface.

What is the difference between a cold front and an occluded front?

A warm occlusion occurs as cool air moves rapidly into an area with an existing warm front. The difference from a cold occlusion is that the approaching cool air is not as cold as the retreating cold air in the existing front. Precipitation can usually be expected when an occluded front passes through an area.

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What are the characteristics of a cold front?

Cold Fronts

leading edge of sharp temperature change.
moisture content (dew point) changes dramatically.
wind shift (direction and speed)
pressure trough (pressure tendency is useful!!!)
often cloudy/showers/thunderstorms/sometimes severe.

How do you identify a cold front?

Symbolically, a cold front is represented by a solid line with triangles along the front pointing towards the warmer air and in the direction of movement. On colored weather maps, a cold front is drawn with a solid blue line. There is typically a noticeable temperature change from one side of a cold front to the other.

What causes a cold front?

Cold fronts form when a cooler air mass moves into an area of warmer air in the wake of a developing extratropical cyclone. The warmer air interacts with the cooler air mass along the boundary, and usually produces precipitation. Cold fronts often follow a warm front or squall line.

What weather does a cold front bring?

Cold Fronts. A cold front is where a cold air mass is pushing into a warmer air mass. Cold fronts can produce dramatic changes in the weather. Commonly, when the cold front is passing, winds become gusty; there is a sudden drop in temperature, and heavy rain, sometimes with hail, thunder, and lightning.

Do cold fronts cause tornadoes?

Many fronts cause weather events such as rain, thunderstorms, gusty winds, and tornadoes. At a cold front passes there may there may be dramatic thunderstorms. At a warm front there may be low stratus clouds. Usually the skies clear once the front has passed.

What occlusion mean?

Definition of occlusion. 1 : the act of occluding : the state of being occluded: such as. a : the complete obstruction of the breath passage in the articulation of a speech sound. b : the bringing of the opposing surfaces of the teeth of the two jaws into contact also : the relation between the surfaces when in contact.

How do fronts form?

Warm front Forms when a moist, warm air mass slides up and over a cold air mass. As the warm air mass rises, it condenses into a broad area of clouds. A warm front brings gentle rain or light snow, followed by warmer, milder weather. Occluded Front Forms when a warm air mass gets caught between two cold air masses.

What type of clouds do occluded fronts bring?

Occluded fronts usually form around areas of low atmospheric pressure. There is often precipitation along an occluded front from cumulonimbus or nimbostratus clouds. Wind changes direction as the front passes and the temperature changes too.

What are the different types of fronts?

The type of front depends on both the direction in which the air mass is moving and the characteristics of the air mass. There are four types of fronts that will be described below: cold front, warm front, stationary front, and occluded front.

What is the edge of a cold or warm front?

In other words, a cold front is right at the leading edge of moving cold air and a warm front marks the leading edge of moving warm air. When two air masses meet together, the boundary between the two is called a weather front.

How are the air masses distributed in a cold occlusion?

9-How are the air masses distributed in a cold occlusion ? The coldest air in front of and the less cold air is behind the occlusion; the warm air mass is above ground level. The coldest air mass behind and the less cold air in front of the occlusion; the warm air mass is above ground level.

Where do weather fronts occur?

Because a stationary front marks the boundary between two air masses, there are often differences in air temperature and wind on opposite sides of it. The weather is often cloudy along a stationary front, and rain or snow often falls, especially if the front is in an area of low atmospheric pressure.

Is high pressure warm or cold?

Is High Pressure Always Warm Air? High pressure systems can be cold or warm, humid or dry. The origin of a high-pressure region determines its weather characteristics. If a high-pressure system moves into Wisconsin from the south during the summer, the weather is usually warm and clear.

Do occluded fronts always bring fair weather?

Weather along an occluded front can take many forms, but some combination of cold-front and warm-front effects often takes place, with anything from light to heavy precipitation often diminishing to clear skies after the front's passage.

What does stationary front mean?

A stationary front forms when a cold front or warm front stops moving. This happens when two masses of air are pushing against each other but neither is powerful enough to move the other.

Why do clouds form behind the moving cold front?

Clouds form behind the cold front because that is the direction that the warmer air mass is moving, so storms form from it. Clouds form in front of a warm front because the less dense air is being pushed up and forward, so it picks up water vapor ahead of the front.

What is occlusion in geography?

occluded front. n. (Physical Geography) meteorol the line or plane occurring where the cold front of a depression has overtaken the warm front, raising the warm sector from ground level. Also called: occlusion.