TERMIUM Plus®
The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.
POOL COLD-AIR [3 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2004-04-07
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Atmospheric Physics
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- cold air pool
1, record 1, English, cold%20air%20pool
correct
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
- cold pool 2, record 1, English, cold%20pool
correct
- cold-air drop 3, record 1, English, cold%2Dair%20drop
correct
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
A pool of cold air can also become 'detached' at lower latitudes, i.e. away from the mid-latitude westerly zone, and drift slowly over relatively warmer seas, (e.g. the Mediterranean), and lead to intense convective development, often taking on marked cyclonic characteristics through the troposphere, and giving rise to locally severe conditions due to heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms and squally winds. Remnants of these types of cold pool will sometimes drift polewards in summer and bring outbreaks of severe convective activity to mid-latitude regions, as these features will destabilise hot/humid air masses. 2, record 1, English, - cold%20air%20pool
Record 1, Key term(s)
- cold air drop
- pool of cold air
- pool of cold-air
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Physique de l'atmosphère
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- goutte d'air froid
1, record 1, French, goutte%20d%27air%20froid
correct, feminine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- goutte froide 2, record 1, French, goutte%20froide
correct, feminine noun
- goutte froide subtropicale 3, record 1, French, goutte%20froide%20subtropicale
feminine noun
- goutte froide de type subtropical 3, record 1, French, goutte%20froide%20de%20type%20subtropical
feminine noun
- descente froide 4, record 1, French, descente%20froide
feminine noun
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Vaste volume d'air froid s'étant séparé de la masse d'air froid des latitudes plus élevées lors de la formation d'une dépression coupée. 5, record 1, French, - goutte%20d%27air%20froid
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
En 1992, deux auteurs anglais, Price et Vaughan, publièrent une étude statistique des gouttes froides, en séparant 3 types : les gouttes froides de type arctique, de type polaire et de type subtropicale, en fonction du courant-jet au voisinage duquel eut lieu le détachement stratosphérique. Ces auteurs montrèrent que les gouttes froides de type subtropical sont plus petite, et durent moins longtemps, que les gouttes froides qui se forment aux latitudes moyennes et polaires. Ils en déduisirent que les gouttes froides de type subtropical n'engendrent pas d'échange stratosphère troposphère d'une manière significative. 3, record 1, French, - goutte%20d%27air%20froid
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 CONT
La France et le Bénélux connaissent depuis plusieurs semaines un véritable déluge. [...] Pour les scientifiques il s'agit [...] d'une situation de blocage entre une «goutte froide», c'est à dire une masse d'air froid en altitude, stationnée sur l'Espagne, et des fronts dépressionnaires environnants. 6, record 1, French, - goutte%20d%27air%20froid
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 3 CONT
La Suisse se trouve ce samedi au centre d'une goutte d'air froid (dépression d'altitude). 7, record 1, French, - goutte%20d%27air%20froid
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Física de la atmósfera
Record 1, Main entry term, Spanish
- gota fría
1, record 1, Spanish, gota%20fr%C3%ADa
correct, feminine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 1, Synonyms, Spanish
- gota de aire frío 2, record 1, Spanish, gota%20de%20aire%20fr%C3%ADo
feminine noun
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Volumen muy grande de aire frío que se ha separado de una masa de aire frío, en las latitudes altas, durante la formación de una depresión cortada. 3, record 1, Spanish, - gota%20fr%C3%ADa
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Embolsamiento de aire frío en las capas superiores de la atmósfera con situación anticiclónica o de pantano barométrico en superficie, que al descender provoca una disminución considerable de las temperaturas y frecuentemente lluvias torrenciales. 4, record 1, Spanish, - gota%20fr%C3%ADa
Record 2 - internal organization data 2002-03-12
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Atmospheric Physics
- Air Pollution
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- cold-air pool
1, record 2, English, cold%2Dair%20pool
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
- cold air pool 2, record 2, English, cold%20air%20pool
correct
- pool of cold air 3, record 2, English, pool%20of%20cold%20air
correct
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Mass of cold air formed by the spreading out into hollows and valleys of air cooled by nocturnal radiation on neighbouring slopes. 1, record 2, English, - cold%2Dair%20pool
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 CONT
During the coldest frosts, the temperature in Paanajärvi valley is much lower than on the tops of the surrounding hills. This is caused by the so-called inversion where cold masses of air have flowed into the valleys, forming so-called cold air pools. 4, record 2, English, - cold%2Dair%20pool
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 2 CONT
... Salt Lake ... "Its complex topography and geographic makeup provide an ideal setting to study how cold night air collects in mountain basins," said Dawn White ... It is those cold air pools sitting below the warmer air that create a temperature inversion, she explained, and trap pollutants 5, record 2, English, - cold%2Dair%20pool
Record 2, Key term(s)
- pool of cold-air
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Physique de l'atmosphère
- Pollution de l'air
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- lac d'air froid
1, record 2, French, lac%20d%27air%20froid
correct, masculine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Masse d'air froid formée par étalement dans les creux et les vallées de l'air refroidi par rayonnement nocturne sur les pentes voisines. 2, record 2, French, - lac%20d%27air%20froid
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 CONT
[...] l'apparition fréquente de situations météorologiques d'inversion entrave l'échange d'air vertical. Les inversions sont des dispositions par couches stables des masses d'air proches du sol. Pendant la nuit, le sol se refroidit et transmet ce froid à l'air ambiant. Cet air ainsi alourdi se répand dans les dépressions et les vallées. Il se forme ainsi des lacs d'air froid. De par la disposition en couches stables, une inversion de température constitue un frein à l'échange des masses d'air. Les émissions proches du sol ne peuvent s'échapper vers le haut et se concentrent dans le lac d'air froid. 3, record 2, French, - lac%20d%27air%20froid
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Au cours d'une nuit claire, le sol puis l'air sus-jacent se refroidissent par suite du rayonnement du sol; cet air a alors tendance à s'écouler, par gravité, vers les points bas où il s'accumule et y accentue sensiblement le risque de gel. Ainsi pour des dénivellations faibles, de quelques mètres, des écarts de 4 °C à 5 °C peuvent être observés au lever du jour au printemps. Ce phénomène s'accompagne parfois de formation de brouillards peu épais qui le visualisent. 4, record 2, French, - lac%20d%27air%20froid
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Física de la atmósfera
- Contaminación del aire
Record 2, Main entry term, Spanish
- lago de aire frío
1, record 2, Spanish, lago%20de%20aire%20fr%C3%ADo
masculine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 2, Synonyms, Spanish
- bolsón de aire frío 2, record 2, Spanish, bols%C3%B3n%20de%20aire%20fr%C3%ADo
masculine noun
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Masa de aire frío formada por el estancamiento, en los valles y las regiones bajas, del aire enfriado durante la noche por la radiación nocturna de las laderas próximas. 1, record 2, Spanish, - lago%20de%20aire%20fr%C3%ADo
Record 3 - internal organization data 2002-01-25
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- Atmospheric Physics
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- cold air pool
1, record 3, English, cold%20air%20pool
correct
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
- cold pool 1, record 3, English, cold%20pool
correct
- cool air pool 2, record 3, English, cool%20air%20pool
Record 3, Textual support, English
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 CONT
There are at least three distinct types of cold pool: 1. Large (in areal extent), slow-moving vortices at latitudes poleward of roughly 50deg N & S. They are often over, or immediately downwind of the source regions of polar or arctic air masses, in such areas as the Canadian Arctic or Siberian Russia. ... 2. Once cold air from the source region as detailed in (1.) above is caught up in the circulation of mid-latitude depressions, the characteristics of the air mass are altered. Warming from below (over relatively warmer sea surfaces for example), leads to instability developing, and with an accompanying injection of moisture (after a reasonable length of passage over the sea), cloudy convection (showers, thunderstorms) is triggered. Cold pools in these situations are often maxima of such activity, with surface charts showing west or northwesterly airflow, often with cyclonically curved isobars. The cold pool will move in the general synoptic flow, and will eventually warm out (disappear) due to sensible & latent heat exchanges within the environment of the cold pool. However, ... sometimes the cold pool will transform into a slow-moving, longer-lasting entity, particularly if the feed of ex-polar air on its western flank is maintained - this occurs in highly meridional situations. 3. A pool of cold air can also become 'detached' at lower latitudes ... 2, record 3, English, - cold%20air%20pool
Record 3, Key term(s)
- pool of cold air
- pool of cold-air
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- Physique de l'atmosphère
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- goutte froide
1, record 3, French, goutte%20froide
correct, feminine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
- goutte froide de type polaire 2, record 3, French, goutte%20froide%20de%20type%20polaire
feminine noun
- descente froide 3, record 3, French, descente%20froide
feminine noun
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Invasion d'un air froid d'origine polaire aux latitudes moyennes. 3, record 3, French, - goutte%20froide
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 CONT
En 1992, deux auteurs anglais, Price et Vaughan, publièrent une étude statistique des gouttes froides, en séparant 3 types : les gouttes froides de type arctique, de type polaire et de type subtropicale, en fonction du courant-jet au voisinage duquel eut lieu le détachement stratosphérique. Ces auteurs montrèrent que les gouttes froides de type subtropical sont plus petite, et durent moins longtemps, que les gouttes froides qui se forment aux latitudes moyennes et polaires. 2, record 3, French, - goutte%20froide
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 2 CONT
Goutte froide [...] dont l'arrivée aux latitudes plus basses équivaut à une aggravation du temps par activation du front polaire. 4, record 3, French, - goutte%20froide
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 3 CONT
La Goutte Froide et le cordon qui l'alimente en air stratosphérique polaire sont bordés par un fort jet-stream dont le maximum d'intensité se situe vers 9 km d'altitude. 4, record 3, French, - goutte%20froide
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Física de la atmósfera
Record 3, Main entry term, Spanish
- gota de aire frío
1, record 3, Spanish, gota%20de%20aire%20fr%C3%ADo
feminine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 3, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2025
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau
Features
Language Portal of Canada

Access a collection of Canadian resources on all aspects of English and French, including quizzes.
Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.
Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.
- Date Modified: