cold front

[ kohld fruhnt ]

noun

1. the zone separating two air masses, of which the cooler, denser mass is advancing and replacing the warmer.

cold front

noun

1. the boundary line between a warm air mass and the cold air pushing it from beneath and behind as it moves
2. the line on the earth's surface where the cold front meets it

cold front

1. The forward edge of an advancing mass of cold air that pushes under a mass of warm air. Cold fronts often cause precipitation; water vapor in the rising warm air condenses and forms clouds, often resulting in heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, or snow. Winter cold fronts can cause temperatures to drop significantly. Summer cold fronts reduce humidity as drier, cooler air displaces the humid, warmer air. On a weather map, a cold front is depicted as a blue line with triangles that point in the direction in which the cold air is moving.
2. Compare occluded frontSee illustration at front

Word History and Origins

Origin of cold front¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

The weather will start to cool down on Saturday as a cold front pushes southwards, with the air turning progressively colder into next week as an Arctic air mass becomes established.

From BBC

The high pressure system that locked Southern California in a heat dome last week has been displaced by the passage of a weak and dying cold front.

From Los Angeles Times

The three blazes are still largely uncontrolled, but an incoming cold front and cloudy weather this weekend are expected to offer some reprieve, officials said Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times

An unusually strong, early-season cold front was moving across Northern California on Friday, bringing with it the possibility for rare August snow along the peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

From Los Angeles Times

For New York City, Sunday might be the hottest day in this heat wave, until a cold front breaks it on Monday, Mr. Engle said.

From New York Times

Related Words

• cold snap
• cold spell
• cold wave