EXTRA—TROPICAL CYCLONE

The term air mass to the homogeneous air mass that covers a vast area for a long period of time. Air masses change seasonally and influence climatic changes in the regions covered. Japan is located in the mid-latitude where the vast Eurasian continent meets the Pacific Ocean and it is strongly influenced by the serious air masses that change seasonally.

Two major air masses exert great influence on the Japanese climate - they are the Siberian Continental Air Mass - a cold dry continental air mass, and the North Pacific Tropical Air Mass - a warm humid tropical maritime air mass. In spring and autumn, the Yangtze-River Air Mass - a warm dry migratory tropical continental air mass, and the Okhotsk Sea Air Mass - a cold humid polar maritime air mass, exert a strong influence on the Japanese climate.

Finally, there is Equatorial air mass - a tropical maritime air mass that is carried with typhoons. In total, five air masses strongly influence Japanese climate and sea waters. This video will shed some light on the generation of the extra-tropical cyclones. Energy for generation and development of an extra-tropical cyclone is the potential energy difference between the warm air mass in the low latitude region and a cold air mass in the polar region...