FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Complete Practice Exam

When a cold front arrives, it is associated with a significant and abrupt change in atmospheric conditions. As the cold front moves in, denser, cooler air forces itself under the warmer air ahead of the front, leading to a rise in pressure. This is why pressure usually rises abruptly when a cold front passes.

The change in pressure is primarily due to the rapid displacement of air masses. As the cold air mass collides with the warmer and more humid air, it can lead to cloud formation and precipitation. Once the cold front has passed, the cooler and denser air takes over, resulting in a swift increase in atmospheric pressure. This phenomenon is a key indicator for meteorologists and pilots in understanding and predicting weather patterns.

In contrast, other options would not accurately represent the typical behavior of pressure associated with a cold front. For example, a steady decrease or gradual increase in pressure does not align with the sharp changes that are characteristic of cold frontal passages. Random fluctuations in pressure are less predictable and do not correspond with the systematic changes observed during the arrival of a cold front.