How are air masses classified?
Created | Updated Nov 20, 2002
1. One air mass has a different surface temperature or humidity from another. So air masses are classified by their surface temperatures and humidities.
a) Tropical air masses are warm at their surface.
b) Polar air masses are cool at their surface
c) Continental air masses are dry at their surface.
Note: polar air masses do not form at the poles. Cold air masses that originate near the poles are called Arctic.
2. Surface tenperature and surface humidity characteristics are then combined to identify an air mass type. For example one type of air mass could be tropical maritime another could be tropical continental
Note: Tropical continental is the same as continental tropical, tropical maritime is the same as maritime tropical and so on.
a) Tropical air masses are warm at their surface.
b) Polar air masses are cool at their surface
c) Continental air masses are dry at their surface.
Note: polar air masses do not form at the poles. Cold air masses that originate near the poles are called Arctic.
2. Surface tenperature and surface humidity characteristics are then combined to identify an air mass type. For example one type of air mass could be tropical maritime another could be tropical continental
Note: Tropical continental is the same as continental tropical, tropical maritime is the same as maritime tropical and so on.
