FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Practice Exam

Which of the following discontinuities is NOT typically associated with a warm front?

1. Temperature decrease

2. Warm air

3. Pressure drop

4. Dewpoint change

The correct answer is: Temperature decrease

The correct choice indicates that a temperature decrease is not typically associated with a warm front. In meteorology, a warm front is characterized by the movement of warm air over colder air. As this warm air ascends, it leads to cloud formation and precipitation, but the temperature, as a result of the warm air mass moving in, generally increases rather than decreases. In contrast, when a warm front passes, you would expect to see warm air moving in (indicating a temperature increase), a drop in atmospheric pressure as the warm air replaces the colder, denser air, and a corresponding change in dewpoint, usually indicating increased humidity as the warm air can hold more moisture than the colder air it replaces. Therefore, a temperature decrease is not characteristic of warm fronts; rather, temperatures rise as warm air pushes forward.