In: Physics
Cumulus clouds form when warm air rises vertically by convection, and stratus clouds form when a warm air mass moving horizontally encounters a cooler mass and is forced upward on top of the cooler mass. Which kind of clouds would you expect to be characteristic of a warm front?
We know that a warm front is the region where a warm air mass replaces a cold air mass.
When the warm air rises along an inclined front, it is cooled and part of its moisture condenses into cooler mass. This will give rise to stratus cloud which is low, thick, and relatively shapeless.
Thus, the stratus cloud is the characteristic of a warm front.
Thus, the stratus cloud is the characteristic of a warm front.