G3- changing Weather_03

Look at the picture of Earth. Do you see the air mass that is colored purple? What kind of temperature do you think the air mass has? Where did it come from? The air mass came from the North Pole. It has cold temperatures. The area under that air mass is having cold weather.

Where an air mass comes from will determine the kind of weather it holds. Most air masses form over polar or tropical regions. They can also form over large areas of land or oceans. When the air mass moves, it takes that type of weather with it. Meteorologists, scientists who study weather, will look at air masses. They will look at where an air mass has been. They use this knowledge to predict what the weather will be. For example, an air mass may bring with it a lot of moisture. A scientist may predict this moisture will fall as precipitation. It may fall as rain, snow, sleet, or even hail. It all depends on how hot or cold it is.

There are other things that can affect the local weather. For example, Florida is a peninsula; it has water on three sides. It never gets too hot or too cold. Being near the water helps to keep the temperatures mild. Mountainous areas can get really cold. In general, the farther north you go in the United States, the colder it is.

What will the weather be tomorrow or the next day? You can do what scientists do. Look to see what type of air mass is headed your way. Until then, keep your jacket handy.