Question

Ahead of a surface warm front, warm and humid air rides up and over a wedge of cooler air (a process known as overrunning.) As the ascending warm air expands and cools, its relative humidity ________, and clouds typically form.

(a) Decreases
(b) Increases

Answer 1

As the ascending warm air from a warm front expands and cools, its relative humidity increases, which leads to the formation of clouds, helping to explain weather patterns and precipitation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the process of a warm front causing warm and humid air to rise over cooler air, known as overrunning, and the effects on cloud formation. As the ascending warm air expands and cools, its relative humidity increases, and clouds typically form.

This occurs because as the warm air cools, it can no longer hold as much water vapor, leading to a higher relative humidity and eventually reaching the dew point which results in condensation and cloud formation. This phenomenon is crucial in understanding weather patterns and precipitation.