How do surface winds behave typically at the point of passage of a cold front?

At the passage of a cold front, surface winds typically shift abruptly. This occurs because a cold front is characterized by the leading edge of colder air moving into an area occupied by warmer air. As the colder air undercuts the warmer air, it can cause a rapid change in wind direction and intensity.

Before the front arrives, the wind usually comes from the south or southeast, arising from the warm air mass in place. However, as the cold front moves through, there is a dramatic shift in the wind direction to the southwest or even northwest as the cold air takes its place. This abrupt transition is a result of the interaction between the differing air masses, and it can often be accompanied by changes in weather phenomena, such as the development of clouds and precipitation.

The other options do not accurately describe the behavior of winds at a cold front; winds are seldom calm during such transitions, remain sustained from a single direction only before the front, and do not gradually change in direction or speed—they shift quickly as the front passes.