FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Practice Exam

Which weather front typically results in stable weather conditions for several days?

1. Cold front

2. Warm front

3. Stationary front

4. Occluded front

The correct answer is: Stationary front

A stationary front typically results in stable weather conditions for several days due to the characteristics of the air masses involved. When a stationary front forms, two air masses meet, but neither is strong enough to displace the other. This ineffectiveness in movement means that the weather conditions associated with the stationary front, which often includes stratus clouds and prolonged periods of precipitation, can persist for extended periods without much change. In contrast, cold fronts and warm fronts tend to introduce more dynamic weather patterns—cold fronts often bring about rapid changes in weather, including thunderstorms, while warm fronts gradually raise temperatures but may also lead to precipitation. Occluded fronts can create complex weather patterns as they merge characteristics of both cold and warm fronts but also do not generally result in stable weather for long durations. Therefore, the nature of a stationary front allows for the least atmospheric disturbance, leading to the stable weather conditions mentioned in the question.