air mass
air mass
n.
section of air that maintains a consistent temperature and pressure
Air mass
In
meteorology, an
air mass is a volume of
air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adapt to the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude and their continental or maritime source regions. Colder air masses are termed polar or arctic, while warmer air masses are deemed tropical. Continental and superior air masses are dry while maritime and monsoon air masses are moist.
Weather fronts separate air masses with different density (temperature and/or moisture) characteristics. Once an air mass moves away from its source region, underlying vegetation and water bodies can quickly modify its character. Classification schemes tackle an air mass' characteristics, and well as modification.
air mass
Noun
1. a large body of air with uniform characteristics horizontally
(hypernym) atmosphere, atmospheric state
(hyponym) high, high pressure
Air Mass
A large volume of air with certain meteorological or polluted characteristics--e.g., a heat inversion or smogginess--while in one location. The characteristics can change as the air mass moves away.
air mass
Synonyms and related words:
anticyclone, cold front, cold sector, cyclone, front, high, high-pressure area, isobar, isometric, isometric line, isopiestic line, isotherm, isothermal line, low, low-pressure area, occluded front, polar front, squall line, stationary front, warm front, weather map, wind-shift line,
Source: Moby Thesaurus, which is part of the
Moby Project created by Grady Ward. In 1996 Grady Ward placed this thesaurus in the public domain.