Wind, Fronts, and Storms
Weather is really just the movement of air. Wind, changing skies, and storms all come from air masses of different temperatures meeting and moving. Understanding wind, fronts, and storms turns the daily weather report into something you can actually explain.
This lesson covers what makes wind blow and how fronts create weather.
Wind is the movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. An air mass is a large body of air with a similar temperature and humidity. A front is the boundary where two different air masses meet, and fronts often bring clouds, rain, and storms.
What causes wind?
Wind is simply air on the move. The sun heats Earth unevenly, creating areas of high pressure (cooler, sinking air) and low pressure (warmer, rising air). Air always flows from high pressure toward low pressure, and that flow is the wind. The bigger the pressure difference, the stronger the wind blows.
What are air masses and fronts?
An air mass is a huge body of air that has a fairly uniform temperature and humidity, taking on the character of the region it formed over, such as cold and dry from the poles or warm and moist from the tropics. Where two different air masses meet, they form a front. A cold front occurs when cold air pushes under warm air, often bringing brief, heavy storms. A warm front occurs when warm air slides over cold air, usually bringing longer, steadier rain.
| Front | What happens | Weather |
|---|---|---|
| Cold front | Cold air pushes under warm air | Brief, heavy storms |
| Warm front | Warm air rises over cold air | Steady, longer rain |
How do storms form?
Storms grow when warm, moist air rises rapidly. As that air climbs and cools, its moisture condenses, releasing energy that powers the storm and builds tall thunderclouds. Along a strong cold front, this rapid lifting can spark thunderstorms. Under the right conditions, the same rising, spinning air can build into severe storms. In every case, the fuel is warm, moist air meeting cooler air.
Watch: A Short Video Lesson
Asee Learning walks through this skill clearly in a few minutes. It is a helpful companion to the reading above:
A routine for weather questions
- Recall wind flows from high pressure to low pressure.
- An air mass has uniform temperature and humidity.
- A front is where two air masses meet.
- Cold fronts bring brief heavy storms; warm fronts bring steady rain.
- Storms form when warm, moist air rises quickly.
Practice questions
- In which direction does wind flow, relative to pressure?
- What is an air mass?
- What is a front?
- Which front usually brings brief, heavy storms?
- What kind of air fuels most storms?
- True or false: wind flows from low pressure to high pressure.
Answers:
- From high pressure to low pressure.
- A large body of air with similar temperature and humidity.
- The boundary where two different air masses meet.
- A cold front.
- Warm, moist air.
- False. Wind flows from high pressure to low pressure.
Where this fits
Wind and fronts move the moisture from heating, humidity, and clouds through the atmosphere, producing the patterns in the water cycle and weather. Find all topics on the ASVAB General Science Learning Hub.
Recommended Prep Books
These study guides and practice books help you keep building momentum as you prepare:
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