Each statement represents a primary learning objective for parts of this unit. After you complete the unit, you should be able to:

• Discuss air masses, their classification, and associated weather.

• Compare and contrast typical weather associated with a warm front and a cold front, and differentiate these from an occluded front and a stationary front.

• Summarize the weather associated with the passage of a mature midlatitude cyclone and describe how airflow aloft is related to cyclones and anticyclones at the surface.

• List the basic requirements for thunderstorm formation, locate places on a map that exhibit frequent thunderstorm activity, and describe the stages in the development of a thunderstorm.

• Summarize the atmospheric conditions and locations that are favorable to the formation of tornadoes, and discuss tornado destruction and tornado forecasting.

• Identify areas of hurricane formation on a world map, discuss the conditions that promote hurricane formation, and list the three broad categories of hurricane destruction.