Temperature

An interesting variable to consider oftentimes during a frontal passage is temperature.   If a cold front is particularly strong, then the temperature will often times fall well below normal temperatures after a frontal passage.

What happens to the temperature after the passage of a cold front?

In the fall, winter and spring, temperatures often fall dramatically after a cold front passes. After all, a cold front is called a cold front because it has cold, dense air moving forward pushing the warmer air up and over the frontal boundary. The cold front can often be located on a temperature map where the the colors change dramatically in a relatively narrow area.

In the summer, cold fronts often bring just a small temperature change, but may bring significantly lower humidity levels. In the eastern half of the United States, summertime cold fronts often bring an escape from usual high levels of humidity.

What happens to the temperature after the passage of a warm front?

Warm fronts, like cold fronts, take on different personalities from season to season. Warm fronts are oftentimes much slower moving. Since warm air is less dense than cold air, the warm boundary is unable to rapidly move back the colder air. Thus the temperature change and precipitation with warm fronts are less extreme. Warm front precipitation is usually longer lasting but light intensity.

Below are images of the maximum temperature at the surface during a strong frontal passage in April, 2005.

April 22, 2005

April 23, 2005

April 24, 2005

April 25, 2005

Questions to address about temperature