Charted Front Color

[ScottM]

I am used to seeing warm fronts in red and cold fronts in blue. But lately I have seen cold fronts that are blue and then one portion of them colored purple. Does that color signify something I should know about because I don't and I can't seem to find anything in my literature about the color.

 

[HPNPilot1200]

The purple color you saw designates that portion of the front as an occluded front (which is when a cold front takes over a warm front, creating the occlusion). Take a look at the picture and key below:

1. cold front
2. warm front
3. stationary front
4. occluded front
5. surface trough
6. squall line
7. dry line
8. tropical wave

 

[gprellwitz]

I am used to seeing warm fronts in red and cold fronts in blue. But lately I have seen cold fronts that are blue and then one portion of them colored purple. Does that color signify something I should know about because I don't and I can't seem to find anything in my literature about the color.

Purple is generally an occluded front, and the symbols will alternate between triangles and half-circles. If it's a really short segment, you may only get one or the other, so it may be able to misidentify.

Edit: Jason beat me to this, but only because someone came to my desk expecting me to do actual work!

 

[ScottM]

I see. The part that is occluded is so small there is only one triangle and one hemisphere and it is right up by a warm and cold front.

Thanks guys