How do you locate fronts on surface weather maps?

Question

Like using the standards, like pressure, temperature, windspeed and direction cloud cover etc.

Answer 1

This is an interesting question since computer does most of the work these days of producing surface charts. And that most universities are not spending much time in teaching how to identify detailed surface features like boundaries or fronts. It's actually much more dificult than most people think because you are starting from a chart full of weather data on a flat surface maps that represents a three demenional surface. In other words, the surface map is flat and the real surface is full of valley, mountains, and bodies of water. So you look for certain clues on a fresh data plotted map and any changes reported over the past few hours. Here are some example of data clues to indentify the possible placement surface boudaries or fronts.

Rapid or sudden change in wind direction and/or speed.
Rapid or sudden change in pressure.
Change in the type of clouds.
Change in the type and or intensity of precipitation.
A line of showers or thunderstorms.
Change in RH.
Packing the the constant lines of thickness.
Surface winds tend to blow toward the front (ahead of and behind the front).

There are other clues that I am sure I have left out. The important thing is that you know the area you are forecasting and find out which of these and other combination of clues will work best for your area for different weather situations. For example, out in the western parts of the United States, many of these "text book" clues just don't work mainly because of the type of topography that exists out there. There are many people who can quickly draw up a surface weather chart by hand anymore. It's a skill that is rapidly being replaced by power computers. However it still is a skill that each forecaster should know just in case...

Answer 2

OK. If you are using a STANDARD surface map here is how they are marked.

A COLD front is marked by a blue line with sharp points on a color map marking where the boundary is located. On a black-and-white map it is a line with sharp pointed areas like the color map but pointing in the direction of travel along the line marking the boundary.

A WARM front is a red line marking the boundary with half-circle like filled in areas that look different than that of a cold front. This is marked on a black and white map the same way but of course in black in white.

There are several international and aviation mapping markers that are used depending on the type of map and use it has. Some more complex than others.

The National Weather Service has an online guide to meteorological mapping and other informational guides for you to use. There are many symboles and identiyers used for meteorological mapping and explanation. I've placed this in the sources field below.

Everyone might want to take a look at them if interested.

Brian R Cross.

Answer 3

A weather forecaster looks for the following when deciding where to draw a front. A temperature change, usually about a degree or so, because the air mass behind a cold front is cooler than ahead of it. All fronts, warm, cold or occluded coincide with a trough of low pressure, and the wind backs as the front goes through. Significant weather. You get cloud, rain and increased wind speed behind a front, and the wind behind a cold front is gusty. And in the upper air, there's a jet stream associated with a front.

Answer 4

What kind of surface maps? The usual ones you see as a consumer have the cold and warm fronts marked on them. Some maps may contain all the info you're looking for, but I can't think of any offhand that show all. Are you in USA? If so, check the National Weather Service web site for lots of info. Their digital clickable weather maps let you do rollovers that selectively show various weather forecast parameters.

Answer 5

If you are looking at a completed weather map look for the red, blue or purple lines with triangles or semicircles on them. If you are to draw them you havea to check the temperatures and draw a line dividing the cold area from the warm.Windspeed is determined by how close these lines are. You connect all areas with the same temp.