How is the type of occluding front determined?

The type of occluded front is determined by which front remains in contact with the ground. An occluded front typically forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front, lifting the warm air off the ground. There are two types of occlusions: cold occlusion, where a cold front lifts a warm front, and warm occlusion, where a warm front is lifted by a colder air mass that is less dense.

In cold occlusions, the colder air mass is denser than the warm air ahead of the warm front, while in warm occlusions, the warm air is lifted by a cool air mass. The distinction between these types is based primarily on which front is being lifted and which remains in contact with the surface.

Precipitation amounts, temperature differences, and wind patterns, while relevant in the general context of weather and fronts, do not define the specific characteristics of how an occluded front is categorized. Hence, understanding the mechanics of occluded fronts and their interactions with surface air masses clarifies why the classification hinges upon the front that is in contact with the ground.