Wind direction will typically be from the _________ ahead of a warm front (cold side), and from the _____________ behind a warm front (warm side).

Question

Wind direction will typically be from the _________ ahead of a warm front (cold side), and from the _____________ behind a warm front (warm side).

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about typical wind directions relative to a warm front, distinguishing between the cold-side region ahead of the warm front and the warm-side region behind it.
Option 1: 'northeast; southeast' — This suggests winds from the northeast ahead of the warm front and from the southeast behind it. Meteorologically, the cold air mass ahead of a warm front generally brings northerly to easterly flow but SE winds behind the front are not the standard behind-front pattern described for a warm sector; this combination does not align with the typical north-easterly preceding flow and south-east behind flow.
Option 2: 'southwest; southeast' — Here, winds are described as from the southwest ahead of the front and from the southeast behind it. A southwest wind ahead of a warm front would imply a more westerly influence in the cold air, which is less consistent with the classic cold-side flow being more northerly or easterly as the front approaches. The behind-front flow being southeast also does not reflect the common warm sector pattern where winds veer to more westerly or southwest directions.
Option 3: 'northeast; southwest' — This option assigns winds from the northeast on the cold side ahead of the warm front and from the southwest on the warm side behind it. In many mid-latitude setups, the cold air mass ahead can bring northeasterly or easterly flow as the front nears, and once the warm front passes, the warm air mass often exhibits a shift toward a southwest or westerly component as the system evolves and the flow pivots with the developing warm sector. This pairing is consistent with a transition from a colder, northeasterly on the cold side to a warmer, more southwesterly flow on the warm side.
Option 4: 'southwest; northwest' — Winds from the southwest ahead of the front and from the northwest behind it would imply a back-and-forth pattern that does not match the typical orientation around a warm-front passage, where the behind-front winds are more often veering toward the warmer, westerly to southerly directions rather than northwest on the warm side.
In summary, option 3 provides a coherent and historically consistent description of the expected wind shift across a warm front, with a northeast (cold-side) flow ahead of the front and a southwest (warm-side) flow behind it. The other options describe wind patterns that conflict with the conventional cold-to-warm transition in a mid-latitude frontal system.

WX 301 WX301 Fall 2025 Exam 2 - Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

Wind direction will typically be from the _ ahead of a warm front (cold side), and from the _____ behind a warm front (warm side).

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