Ilmamääriin

Ilmamääriin refers to the concept of air masses in meteorology. An air mass is a large body of air with relatively uniform temperature, humidity, and pressure. These characteristics are acquired as the air mass moves slowly or stays stationary over a particular region for an extended period. The region over which an air mass forms is called its source region.

The properties of an air mass are influenced by the characteristics of its source region. For example, air masses forming over tropical oceans tend to be warm and moist, while those forming over polar landmasses are cold and dry. Based on their temperature and humidity, air masses are classified into several types, such as tropical (T), polar (P), arctic (A), and equatorial (E). Additionally, they are categorized by their moisture content: maritime (m) for moist air masses formed over oceans, and continental (c) for dry air masses formed over land.

When air masses with different properties interact, they create weather fronts. The boundary between two different air masses is known as a front. The passage of a front can cause significant changes in weather, including temperature shifts, precipitation, and wind direction. The study of air masses and fronts is fundamental to understanding and forecasting weather patterns.