How does an occluded front develop?

An occluded front develops when a cold front overtakes a warm front. In this process, the more rapidly moving cold air mass catches up to the warm air mass and forces it upwards, which effectively 'lifts' the warm air off the ground. This results in the formation of an occluded front.

As the cold front moves faster than the warm front, it will typically create a situation where the warm air is trapped between two colder air masses. This lifting of warm air can lead to cloud formation and precipitation, characteristic of occluded fronts. These fronts are frequently associated with mature low-pressure systems, and understanding their development is key in predicting certain weather phenomena, such as changes in temperature and precipitation patterns.

The other options do not correctly describe the mechanics of an occluded front. A warm front overtaking a cold front does not lead to an occluded front; it results in the warm front lifting over the cold air instead. Similarly, two cold fronts meeting do not create an occluded front as they do not involve the lifting of warm air. A stationary warm front also does not contribute to the formation of an occluded front, as this front remains unchanged in its position without the interaction with a cold front.