|WHAT DO THE DIFFERENT|
WEATHER SYMBOLS MEAN?
METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY
High Pressure System: This is a region of relatively higher pressure. There will often be sinking air
and thus stable weather. Sunny weather will often occur under high pressure. High pressure is
colored in blue. The choice of the color blue has nothing to do with temperature. High pressures
can bring with warm or cold weather depending on the type of high pressure it is.
Low Pressure System: This is a region of relatively lower pressure. There will be rising air and
thus often there will also be clouds and precipitation. Low pressure is colored in red. The choice
of the color red has nothing to do with temperature. While it is typically cooler under a low due
to the the cooling from cloud cover as well as rain or snow, temperatures can vary between
being mild to being very cold.
Cold Front: A cold front indicates a colder air mass is moving in the direction toward which the
triangles are pointing. The cold front is drawn at the leading edge of the cold air mass. When the
cold front passes the temperature drops and the rising air along the front can bring precipitation
especially in the region where the cold front is approaching.
Warm Front: A warm front indicates a warmer air mass is moving in the direction toward which the
semicircles are pointing. The warm front is drawn at the leading edge of the warm air mass. A
warm front can also bring precipitation especially in the region where the warm front is approaching.
Stationary Front: A stationary front separates a warmer from a cooler air mass. A stationary
front has a little or no movement thus the cold and warm front symbols are drawn in alternating fashion.
Occluded Front: An occluded front is drawn in purple. It is a cold front that overtakes a warm front. They
commonly occur close to a maturing low pressure system.