The symbol of a cold front: a blue line with triangles pointing in the direction of travel

A cold front defined as the leading edge of a cooler and drier mass of air. The air with greater density wedges under the less dense warmer air, lifting it, which can cause the formation of a narrow line of showers and thunderstorms when enough moisture is present. This upward motion causes lowered pressure along the cold front. On weather maps, the surface position of the cold front is marked with the symbol of a blue line of triangles/spikes (pips) pointing in the direction of travel. A cold front's location is at the leading edge of the temperature drop off, which in an isotherm analysis would show up as the leading edge of the isotherm gradient, and it normally lies within a sharp surface trough. Cold fronts can move up to twice as fast and produce sharper changes in weather than warm fronts. Since cold air is denser than warm air it rapidly replaces the warm air preceding the boundary. Cold fronts are usually associated with an area of low pressure, and sometimes, a warm front. It has been suggested that Steam shower be merged into this article or section. ... A rolling thundercloud over Enschede, The Netherlands. ... Dew on a spider web Moldy bread Moisture generally refers to the presence of water, often in trace amounts. ... This article is about pressure in the physical sciences. ... These symbols, showing various weather fronts, might be found on a weather map. ... For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ... An isotherm is a line of equal or constant temperature on a graph, plot, or map; an isopleth of temperature. ... Categories: Move to Wiktionary | Stub ... Illustration of a warm front A warm front is defined as the leading edge of a mass of warm air. ...

Precipitation

Illustration of a cold front

A cold front commonly brings a narrow band of precipitation that follows along the leading edge of the cold front. These bands of precipitation are often very strong in nature, and especially in the Spring and Summer months, can bring severe thunderstorms and or tornadoes. In the spring, these cold fronts can be very strong, and can bring strong winds when the pressure gradient is tighter than normal. In the summer, cold fronts can cause severe thunderstorms and hailstorms, but in the winter, cold fonts sometimes come through an area with little or no precipitation, and with little or no effect on temperature. In the autumn months, cold fronts rarely bring severe thunderstorms, but are known for bringing heavy, and widespread rainstorms. These rainstorms sometimes bring flooding, and can move very slowly because cold fronts are more prone to slow movement in the fall. In the winter, cold fronts can bring severe cold spells, and heavy snowstorms. The cold fronts in the late fall become more polar in nature, and tend to bring very cold weather, and temperature drops up to 30°F. Spring is one of the four temperate seasons. ... For other uses, see Summer (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Tornado, see Tornado (disambiguation). ... Pressure Gradient is the change in pressure over a distance. ... For other uses, see Summer (disambiguation). ... Look up hailstorm in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Winter (disambiguation). ... This article is about the temperate season. ... A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ... For other uses, see Winter (disambiguation). ... Polar may refer to: Polsk Ost med KATING WAPOOOOW CHING CHING WOWOWOWOW/Gling, Oink oink. ...

Temperature changes

Cold fronts are the leading edge of a fridged air mass, hence the name 'cold front'. They can bring severe cold spells in the fall and winter. Very often, cold fronts are associated with deadly cold weather. Sometimes, though, cold fronts have no significant effect on the weather. When cold fronts come through, there is usually a quick, yet strong gust of wind, that shows that the cold front is passing. The effects form a cold front can last only a few hours to several weeks, depending on when the next weather front comes through. Look up cold in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Autumn colours at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire, England. ... For other uses, see Winter (disambiguation). ...

Association with warm fronts

Occluded cyclone example. The triple point is the intersection of the cold, warm, and occluded fronts.

Cold fronts are very often associated with a warm front, squall line, or other weather front. Very commonly, cold fronts have an adjacent warm front that is ahead of the cold front. This forms an area where warm air is occurring and interacting with the cold front. In this area known as a warm sector. In the warm sector, very often severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hailstorms occur, because of the sharp difference between the warm air that is associated with the warm front, and the cold air that is associated with the cold front. In meteorology, a weather front is a boundary between two air masses with differing characteristics (e. ... Illustration of a warm front A warm front is defined as the leading edge of a mass of warm air. ... For other uses of Tornado, see Tornado (disambiguation). ...

How cold fronts form

Cold fronts form when a cold air mass is moving into an area of warmer air. The warmer air interacts with the cold air mass, and produces precipitation.

See also

• Weather front

Different air masses which affect North America, as well as other continents, tend to be separated by frontal boundaries A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of significant weather. ...

References

• Cold Front: transition zone from warm air to cold air

External links

• Cold Front