INVESTIGATING THE PARAMETERS THAT IDENTIFY FRONTS
WORKSHEET
Introduction: In this module you will explore the passage of a frontal boundary and associated events. You will use the IDV visualization tool to identify numerous aspects of the system that moved through the region.
Objective : By the end of this module you be able to:
The image above shows a schematic of a typical mid-latitude cyclone and the associated frontal boundaries.
Background: Fronts are common features on weather maps. Although fronts represent boundaries between opposing air masses, the underlying parameters that govern their positioning are more important than colorful lines and symbols. In fact, a front can simply be described as a separation between two areas of contrasting moisture, pressure, and temperature. A cold front is depicted on a map by a blue line with arrowheads pointing in the general direction of movement. Conversely, the location of a warm front is represented by a red line with half circles showing the direction of movement. Finally, an occluded front is drawn in purple, with alternating arrowheads and half circles pointing in the direction of movement.
COLD, WARM AND OCCLUDED FRONTS
Loading the IDV Bundle
Click on the link to the bundle fronts.jnlp. Two main windows should appear; the Display Window and the Data Selector Window. Various Parameter Windows will also appear. Once the bundle is loaded, proceed to the next section.