GEO 303 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Transpiration, Dime (United States Coin), Humid Subtropical Climate
Document Summary
Air mass are named for the area where they form. Continental air masses are air masses that originate over land and are relatively dry, and air masses that develop over water and are relatively wet are referred to as maritime air masses. Source regions are reasons where air masses originate. In order for a huge mass of air to develop into an air mass, its source region should be generally flat and of uniform composition with light surface regions. Continental polar and continental arctic air masses originate over the arctic, northern canada, and alaska where long clear nights allow for strong radiational cooling of the surface. Maritime polar air masses are polar and arctic air masses that originate over asia and frozen polar regions and are carried eastward and southward over the pacific ocean by the aleutian low during winter. Maritime tropical air masses develop over the subtropical east pacific ocean and continental tropical air masses develop over northern.
