Describe what the weather would be like as a warm front passes. Then, describe what would occur as a cold front passes. Use extra pages if necessary.
As a warm front passes, the weather conditions change gradually. A warm front occurs when warm air replaces colder air mass. This transition typically causes a prolonged period of weather patterns and changes.
Before the warm front arrives, the sky is often overcast with thick, low-lying clouds. These clouds are often stratus clouds, which can produce drizzling rain or light snow. The air also tends to feel more humid and still. As the warm front approaches, the wind may start to pick up and become gusty.
As the warm front moves closer, the cloud cover becomes thicker, and the rain or snow intensifies. The precipitation from a warm front is typically lighter and more continuous compared to the heavier showers associated with a cold front. The rain or snow can persist for hours or even days as the warm air gradually replaces the cooler air.
As the warm front passes, the cloud cover starts to break up, and the precipitation becomes more scattered. The temperature also starts to rise steadily. Initially, there can be a change in the wind direction, shifting from an easterly or northeasterly direction to a southerly flow.
Once the warm front fully passes, the sky may still be partly cloudy, but the rain or snow generally subsides. The temperature continues to increase as the warm air becomes dominant. The wind direction stabilizes, usually blowing from the south or southwest.
On the other hand, a cold front is characterized by a more rapid shift in weather conditions as a result of a colder air mass displacing warmer air. The passage of a cold front often brings a sudden change in weather patterns.
Before a cold front arrives, there are usually towering and dark cumulonimbus clouds visible on the horizon. These clouds are associated with thunderstorms, heavy rain, and sometimes hail. The air may feel warm, muggy, and heavy due to the high moisture content.
As the cold front approaches, the wind strengthens and shifts direction. It often becomes gusty and blows from a southerly or southwesterly direction, sometimes with strong gusts associated with the thunderstorms.
As the cold front passes, the weather conditions change abruptly. The towering cumulonimbus clouds mark the location of the frontal boundary. Thunderstorms intensify, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds, lightning, and thunder. These storms often move quickly, and the rain showers associated with a cold front tend to be more intense but shorter in duration than those of a warm front.
Once the cold front passes, the weather conditions undergo a rapid transformation. The sky clears, giving way to cumulus or stratocumulus clouds. The temperature begins to drop quickly as the cooler air mass replaces the warmer air. The wind shifts to a northwesterly or northerly direction and can remain gusty for some time after the front passes.
In summary, the passage of a warm front brings gradual changes in weather conditions, including thick clouds, drizzling rain or light snow, and increasing humidity. Conversely, a cold front brings rapid shifts, marked by towering thunderclouds, heavy rain, gusty winds, and a sudden drop in temperature.