Advection

Advection is the horizontal movement of a mass of fluid — such as air or an ocean current — transferring its properties (temperature, humidity) from one location to another. In meteorology, advection most commonly refers to the horizontal transport of air and its associated temperature and moisture content.

Advection vs. Convection

Advection is horizontal movement; convection is vertical. When warm air rises from a heated surface, that is convection. When warm, moist air flows horizontally from the Gulf of Mexico northward over the Canadian prairies, that is advection. The two processes often work together to create complex weather patterns.

Aviation Significance

Advection drives the development of advection fog, the transport of icing conditions into new areas, and the delivery of warm or cold air masses that change weather at your destination. A warm air mass being advected over a cold lake or coastline is one of the most common fog-generating mechanisms in Canada, particularly around the Great Lakes and the Atlantic coast.

Related Terms

See also: Advection Fog, Cold Front, Warm Front.