Air masses are developing over the following geographic regions. Classify the air masses as cT, mP, mT, or cP.
a.) Gulf of Mexico
b.) offshore Seattle, WA (North Pacific Ocean)
c.) Alberta, Canada
d.) Albuquerque, NM
e.) Hawaii
To classify the air masses developing over those geographic regions, you need to understand the characteristics of different air masses.
cT (Continental Tropical) air masses originate from warm, dry regions and are usually found in the desert or semi-arid areas. They are hot and dry.
mP (Maritime Polar) air masses originate from cold oceanic areas and are cold and humid.
mT (Maritime Tropical) air masses originate from warm oceanic areas and are warm and humid.
cP (Continental Polar) air masses originate from cold land areas and are cold and dry.
Now, let's classify the air masses:
a.) Gulf of Mexico: The Gulf of Mexico is a warm oceanic region, so the air mass developing here would be maritime tropical (mT).
b.) Offshore Seattle, WA (North Pacific Ocean): Seattle, WA is located near the North Pacific Ocean, which is a cold oceanic area. Therefore, the air mass developing offshore Seattle would be maritime polar (mP).
c.) Alberta, Canada: Alberta, Canada is a continental region and tends to experience cold temperatures. Therefore, the air mass developing over Alberta would be continental polar (cP).
d.) Albuquerque, NM: Albuquerque, NM is located inland and experiences hot and dry conditions. Hence, the air mass developing here would be continental tropical (cT).
e.) Hawaii: Hawaii is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which is a warm oceanic area. Therefore, the air mass developing over Hawaii would be maritime tropical (mT).