Which front forms when air masses remain in place and neither advances?

Which front forms when air masses remain in place and neither advances?

• A. Cold front
• B. Stationary front
• C. Warm front
• D. Occluded front

Answer: (B)

A front forms where two air masses meet and interact. When air masses stay in place and neither advances, the boundary between them remains roughly fixed, so this is a stationary front. Because the front doesn’t move, the weather along it can stay cloudy and wet for a longer period. In contrast, a cold front features cold air pushing beneath warm air and lifting it quickly, a warm front has warm air gliding over cooler air producing more gradual rain, and an occluded front forms when a cold front catches up to a warm front, lifting the warm air aloft. The scenario described matches the stationary front.

A front forms where two air masses meet and interact. When air masses stay in place and neither advances, the boundary between them remains roughly fixed, so this is a stationary front. Because the front doesn’t move, the weather along it can stay cloudy and wet for a longer period. In contrast, a cold front features cold air pushing beneath warm air and lifting it quickly, a warm front has warm air gliding over cooler air producing more gradual rain, and an occluded front forms when a cold front catches up to a warm front, lifting the warm air aloft. The scenario described matches the stationary front.