COLD FRONT - WEATHER EVENTS

by ZAMG

Weather events are highly variable and can differ from season to season. Two type of fronts are distinguished: Ana and Kata Cold Fronts

Ana Cold Front

Parameter Description
Precipitation (incl. thunder)
  • Moderate to heavy showery precipitation
  • In winter season snow is possible.
  • Quite often thunderstorms are observed at all seasons.
Temperature
  • Falls rapidly after the passage of the front.
  • Over land in wintertime temperature can rise after front passage.
Wind (incl. gusts)
  • Around embedded Cbs strong gusts are possible.
  • Veering of the wind at the front passage
Other relevant information
  • Precipitation in narrow cloud band just ahead of front (line convection)
  • Enhanced areas with precipitation behind surface front Risk of moderate to severe icing and turbulence. Predestined areas for heavy weather are regions with superimposed PVA, e.g.left exit region of a jet streak
26 September 1995/12.00 UTC - Meteosat VIS image; Ana Cold Front; weather events (green: rain and showers, blue: drizzle, cyan: snow, red: thunderstorm with precipitation, purple: freezing rain, orange: hail, black: no actual precipitation or thunderstorm with precipitation); blue: thermal front parameter 500/850 hPa

Kata Cold Front

Parameter Description
Precipitation (incl. thunder)
  • Precipitation ahead of surface front
  • Precipitation sometimes in narrow bands ahead of surface front
  • Sometimes thunderstorms are observed at all seasons.
Temperature
  • Falls rapidly after the passage of the front
  • Over land in wintertime temperature can rise after front passage.
Wind (incl. gusts)
  • Around embedded Cbs strong gusts are possible.
  • Veering of the wind at the front passage
Other relevant information
  • Risk of moderate to severe icing (risk of freezing rain)
  • Risk of moderate to severe turbulence
29 February 1996/12.00 UTC - Meteosat VIS image; Kata Cold Front; weather events (green: rain and showers, blue: drizzle, cyan: snow, red: thunderstorm with precipitation, purple: freezing rain, orange: hail, black: no actual precipitation or thunderstorm with precipitation); blue: thermal front parameter 500/850 hPa
SUB-MENU OF COLD FRONT
TYPICAL APPEARANCE IN VERTICAL CROSS SECTIONS
REFERENCES