What characterizes an occluded front?

An occluded front is characterized by a cold front overtaking a warm front. In this process, the cold air mass moves faster than the warm air mass, lifting the warm air above the ground. This results in a transition zone where the warm air is no longer in contact with the surface, often leading to the development of cloudy and rainy weather as the warm air cools and condenses at higher altitudes. The dynamics involved in occluded fronts can significantly influence weather patterns, typically resulting in various precipitation and storm activities as the lifted warm air interacts with the cooler air masses.

The other options do not accurately describe the characteristics of an occluded front. For instance, the idea of two warm fronts meeting, or a stationary front at high altitudes, and warm air being pushed up while cool air moves in, while related to atmospheric phenomena, do not define the specific process involved in occluded fronts and are therefore not correct in this context.