Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
polar air mass
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History
Images
source regions of world's principal air masses
Quizzes
Lightning over a farm field. Weather electricity thunderstorm light energy tree
Facts You Should Know: Weather Quiz
Umbrella colored like a rainbow sticking out above a sea of black umbrellas while it rains. (storm, weather)
Weather Words Vocabulary Quiz
rain. Child in the rain, wearing a rain coat, under a yellow umbrella. April Showers weather climate rain storm water drops
April Showers to March’s Lions and Lambs
Iceland, Glacier lagoon (Jokulsarlon)
Winter Weather Words Quiz
Related Questions
Read Next
Flower. Fruit tree. Cherry. Cherry tree. Cherry blossom. Spring. Close-up of cherry blossoms in bloom.
The Perils of an Early Spring
Earth from space. Full-hemisphere views of the Earth showing Hurricane Linda at its peak approaching Baja California on 1997 September 11.
What Is Earth’s Velocity?
Lightning over the outskirts of Oradea, Rom., during the thunderstorm of August 17, 2005.
16 Questions About Earth’s Atmsophere and Weather Answered
Solar system illustration. (planets; sun)
Why Are Planets Round?
This image depicts a 3-day average of actual sea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, with 2005 hurricane season names overlaid
How Do Hurricanes Get Their Names?
Discover
New York NY/ USA- November 23, 2018 Hordes of shoppers throng the Macy's Herald Square flagship store in New York looking for bargains on the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday.
Why Is It Called Black Friday?
Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept
Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?
Lusitania sinking, illustration from The War of the Nations (New York), December 31, 1919. World War I, WWI. This image is one of three on the page. (See source file for the other two.)
7 of the World’s Deadliest Shipwrecks
The tomb of Saint Nicholas in the crypt of the Basilica di San Nicola, Bari, Apulia, Italy
Do the Relics of Saint Nicholas Really Emit a Holy Substance?
Ruminant. Deer. Red deer. Cervus elaphus. Buck. Stag. Antlers.
9 of the World’s Deadliest Mammals
bat flying
Are Bats Really Blind?
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) standing on rock, side view, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
The Fastest Animals on Earth

polar air mass

meteorology
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/science/polar-air-mass
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Also known as: Polar continental, Polar continental air mass, cP, cP air mass, continental Polar air mass
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Related Topics:
air mass
polar front

polar air mass, air mass that forms over land or water in the higher latitudes. See air mass; front.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.