| A | B |
|---|
| air mass | a large body of air that has similar temperature and moisture throughout |
| source regions | areas whose moisture and temperature characteristics influence the air mass which forms over it |
| maritime | source region where air mass forms over water; wet |
| continental | source region where air mass forms over land; dry |
| polar | source region where air mass forms over polar regions; cold |
| tropical | source region where air mass develops over the Tropics; warm |
| c | symbol used to indicate the continental source region |
| T | symbol used to indicate the tropical source region |
| m | symbol used to indicate the maritime source region |
| P | symbol used to indicate the polar source region |
| cP | the two-letter symbol used to indicate a cold air mass that formed over land |
| mT | the two-letter symbol used to indicate a warm air mass that formed over water |
| mP | the two-letter symbol used to indicate a cold air mass that formed over water |
| cT | the two-letter symbol used to indicate a warm air mass that formed over land |
| front | the boundary that forms between two different air masses |
| Cold Front | a front where cold air meets and displaces a warm air mass |
| Warm Front | a front where a warm air mass over-rides a cold air mass |
| Occluded Front | a front where a cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass and then meets a cold air mass, causing large amounts of precipitation |
| Stationary Front | front where a cold air mass meets a warm air mass BUT little horizontal movement occurs |
