Met SA WX PDF

AIR MASSES
An airmass is a large body of air whose properties are horizontally uniform with regard to
temperature and humidity and vertically uniform with regard to lapse rates. Its
characteristics are dependant on its origin.
CLASSIFICATION
Polar (P)
Tropical (T)
Maritime (M)
Continental (C)
Warm (W)
Cold (K)
NOTE:
The thermodynamically classification is compared to the surface over which it was

moving.
SUPERIOR AIR
Air which originates in the upper atmosphere above permanent anti-cyclones. This air is
continually sinking and in so doing, becomes warm, stable and very dry.
FACTORS AFFECTING MODIFICATION OF AN AIRMASS
 The characteristics of the area over which it moves after leaving the area of
origin.
 Speed at which it moves.
 Diurnal variations e.g. a cold mass of air moving inland during the night will not
be modified as much as during the day.
 Mechanical influences that cause mixing of airmass.

GENERAL PROPERTIES OF A COLD AIRMASS (POLAR)
PM: UNSTABLE, SLIGHTLY MOIST
- Good for Cumulus cloud and showers.

- If this air moves over cold land, it becomes stable with low cloud,
fog and drizzle.
PC: STABLE, VERY DRY
Very little chance of cloud development.
GENERAL PROPERTIES OF A WARM AIRMASS (TROPICAL)
TM: STABLE, MOIST
- If cloud does occur, it will be low with fog and drizzle.

- If this air moves over very hot land, it will become unstable with
convective thunderstorms.
TC: STABLE, DRY
Nearly always cloudy.
QUESTIONS
1. The cold polar air advecting out of the Antarctic is:
a) Moist if it has been moving rapidly over the Atlantic Ocean.

b) Dry.
c) Dry during the summer months and moist during the winter months.
2. Tropical Maritime Air moving over a warm land mass is most likely to produce:
a) Cumulonimbus cloud with good visibility.

b) Stratus cloud with bad visibility and drizzle.
c) Stable conditions with good visibility.
The Warm Front
When the warm air is overtaking the cold air, it will ride up and over the heavier cold air
while advancing. The cold air forms a wedge in below the warm air. The slope of the frontal
surface is gentle or 1/100 - 1/150 on an average. (The warm front can be compared to the
bows of an icebreaker, which slides up on top of the ice and then presses it away. This
results in a descending air motion in the cold air).
The movement of the warm front can be estimated from the isobar spacing along the front.
If we measure the spacing using the geostrophic wind scale along the warm front
according to the figure, the movement of the front is about 70% of the “wind speed” read
from the scale. This gives the vector velocity of the front in a direction of movement
perpendicular to the front.
This simple “rule of thumb” is only valid when the estimated movement is about 8KT or
more. The average speed of the warm front is 20KT (10-30), but deviations may be great.
That is to say, the front will pass about 24 hours after you have seen the first Ci clouds.
The Cold Front

The cold front is generated when heavy cold air advances in under a warmer air mass
forcing it to rise. The slope of the cold front varies a great deal, and we distinguish between
passive or kata-fronts with a slope of 1/100 and active or ana-fronts with a slope of up to
1/50.
If we measure the movement of the cold front (as in the case of the warm front earlier) the
movement of the cold front is about 90% of the measured “geostrophic speed” along the
front. That is, as a general rule, the cold front catches up the warm front.
COLD FRONT EFFECTS
PROPERTY AHEAD IN THE AT THE PASSAGE BEHIND IN THE

COLD SECTOR OF THE FRONT WARM SECTOR
Wind Veers and Backs and Direction steadies
strengthens weakens
Dew Point Falls steadily Rises Steadies
Temperature
Pressure Falls steadily Remains steady Small change or
Tendency falls slowly
Temperature Slowly rises Rises Small change
Visibility Good except in rain Often mist or fog, Poor to moderate,
or snow poor mist or fog
Cloud types Ci, Cs, As, Ns, Fra, Low Ns and Fra St St or Sc or no
St, Fra Cu, below cloud Maybe Ci
As & Ns
Weather Continuous rain or Precipitation nearly Intermittent drizzle
snow stops or does stop or none
WARM FRONT EFFECTS
PROPERTY AHEAD IN THE AT THE PASSAGE BEHIND IN THE

COLD SECTOR OF THE FRONT WARM SECTOR
Wind Sudden Veer and Suddenly Backs Veer after squall or
strengthens and perhaps a backs later in more
becoming equally squall squalls
Dew Point Little change Suddenly falls Little change
Temperature
Pressure Fallls Rises suddenly Slow continual rise
Tendency
Temperature Steady but drops in Rises suddenly Steadies except in
pre frontal rain showers
Visibility Steady but drops in Falls suddenly Very good except
pre frontal rain in showers
Cloud types St, or Sc Ac As Cb with Fra St and Rapidly clears
then Cb Fra Cu or low As some As Ac, then
Cu or Cb
Weather Drizzle Heavy rain, snow, Heavy rain or snow
hail, maybe thunder then fine with
showers
SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER
FACTORS INFLUENCING SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER
The shape of the plateau, warm Agulhas ( E coast ), cold Benguela (W coast ), position of
the ITCZ and the upper air westerlies ( 300 hPa) all influence South African weather
patterns.
Summer
WINTER
THE COASTAL LOW ( Orographic Depression )
A coastal low may develop off the east or west coast. When there is a strong flow of air
off the plateau, it will 'remove' air from the coastal region giving rise to a weak low pressure
cell. They will move southwards on the West Coast and Northwards on the East Coast.
These cells will persist as long as conditions permit.
The coastal lows are accompanied by rain, low cloud, and drizzle.
THE SOUTH WESTERLY BUSTER
This is a Summer condition. The Atlantic High ridges in behind the East Coast low. The
steep pressure gradient causes very strong winds that will replace the prevailing NE
winds. The onset of the wind is very sudden and is a common feature. It may also bring
in low St and Sc with rain and drizzle.
THE CAPE DOCTOR

It is also a Summer condition. The SE winds blow away the pollution (DOCTOR). The
winds are fairly dry thus mostly clear skies. The table cloth is formed by air being forced
to rise over the mountain.
THE BLACK SOUTH EASTER
The Black South Easter is the same as the Cape Doctor, but stronger pressure gradients
feeding in moist air to considerable height. If accompanied by a deep low in the interior,
widespread rains will occur. (Laingsburg floods, 1981.)

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AIR MASSES

The thermodynamically classification is compared to the surface over which it was

FACTORS AFFECTING MODIFICATION OF AN AIRMASS

 Speed at which it moves.

 Mechanical influences that cause mixing of airmass.

PM: UNSTABLE, SLIGHTLY MOIST

- Good for Cumulus cloud and showers.

PC: STABLE, VERY DRY

Very little chance of cloud development.

GENERAL PROPERTIES OF A WARM AIRMASS (TROPICAL)

TM: STABLE, MOIST

- If cloud does occur, it will be low with fog and drizzle.

Nearly always cloudy.

1. The cold polar air advecting out of the Antarctic is:

a) Moist if it has been moving rapidly over the Atlantic Ocean.

a) Cumulonimbus cloud with good visibility.

The Cold Front

COLD FRONT EFFECTS

PROPERTY AHEAD IN THE AT THE PASSAGE BEHIND IN THE

PROPERTY AHEAD IN THE AT THE PASSAGE BEHIND IN THE

SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER

FACTORS INFLUENCING SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER

THE COASTAL LOW ( Orographic Depression )

THE CAPE DOCTOR

THE BLACK SOUTH EASTER

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