Fronts

[nodrog]

As regards pressures, airmass and fronts.

1. In SUMMER is an Occluded Front is an area of squeezed walm air pushed above to masses of moving cooler air thus forming quite unstable conditions in that area?

If so is an occluded front more liable to produce a greater risk of unsettled weather ie : hail and thunder with strong gusts over a longer period of time than just a moving cold front pushing a warm mass.

2. In the WINTER a cold front can cause snow depending on the amount of moisture in the walm mass area or at the front edge?

3. In the summer high pressure is generally warm fair weather but in the winter cool settled weather is the norm?

4. Low pressure regardless the time of year is unsettled but not always stormy?

I respect there maybe more 'machanics' behind what I say but is the basic principle right?

I know some of these questions seem basic but I have always deamed the above to be correct and I just need a bit of clarity to help my selfeducation as sometimes the weather models / forecasts confuse or conflict ones train of thought.

Edited June 30, 2012 by Tangerine Lion

[chionomaniac]

Have you read this TL?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_front

If not, it may be a good starting point.

[Coast]

http://youtu.be/JWi9Cye2A4Y

[forecaster]

As regards pressures, airmass and fronts.

1. In SUMMER is an Occluded Front is an area of squeezed walm air pushed above to masses of moving cooler air thus forming quite unstable conditions in that area?

If so is an occluded front more liable to produce a greater risk of unsettled weather ie : hail and thunder with strong gusts over a longer period of time than just a moving cold front pushing a warm mass.

2. In the WINTER a cold front can cause snow depending on the amount of moisture in the walm mass area or at the front edge?

3. In the summer high pressure is generally warm fair weather but in the winter cool settled weather is the norm?

4. Low pressure regardless the time of year is unsettled but not always stormy?

I respect there maybe more 'machanics' behind what I say but is the basic principle right?

I know some of these questions seem basic but I have always deamed the above to be correct and I just need a bit of clarity to help my selfeducation as sometimes the weather models / forecasts confuse or conflict ones train of thought.

1) The occluded front usually represents some boundary slightly aloft. Surface changes in temperature and dewpoint are often only small. With the warm air aloft (look up TROWAL - trough of warm air aloft) then the most significant weather may be associated with this feature rather than the "surface" occluded front. There is often debate about occluded fronts and where and how they should be drawn.

With warm air aloft you are less likely to see convectively unstable conditions because it inhibits the buoyancy of a rising surface air parcel.

[Coast]