ESS124
Prof.
Jin-Yi Yu
Maritime Polar (mP) Air Masses
• Maritime polar air masses form over upper latitude oceanic regions and are cool and moist.
•mP air masses form over high-latitude ocean as cP air masses move out from the interior of continents. (i.e., cP à mP).
•Oceans add heat and moisture into the dry and cold cP air masses.
•Along the west coast of the U.S., mP air affects regions during winter and may be present before mid-latitude cyclones advect over the continent.
•Along the east coast, mP air typically affects regions after cyclone passage as the mP air wraps around the area of low pressure.
