GEOG 1301: Introduction to Physical Geography - Exam 3: Climatology "STUDY GUIDE"

When the Sun's rays are directly overhead at the Equator, it is ___

March 21

The classic Marine west-coast climate is the ___

Cfb

Which country is the most likely place on Earth for a tornado to occur?

USA

All months have average temperatures below freezing in the ___ climatic type

EF

The region in which the Intertropical Convergence Zone can be found is ___

the Equator

Where are the E Köppen Climates?

Polar Regions

In order to be classified as a hurricane, sustained wind velocity must exceed ___ kilometers per hour (mph)

119 (74)

The average hurricane exists, on the average, for about ___

1 week

Which of the following refers to horizontal air movement?

wind

Most winds in the Tropics ___

blow from the east

Where are most thunderstorms in the USA?

Florida

Why do thunderstorms form less frequently over oceans than continents?

Ocean surfaces do not warm rapidly

In which situation would Coriolis effect be greatest?

High wind speeds, North Pole

What causes occlusion in a Midlatitude Cyclone?

The cold front travels faster than the warm front

The expansion that occurs in rising air is a cooling process called ___

adiabatic cooling

The 1 - 5 scale rating hurricane intensity is the ___ Scale

Saffir-Simpson

On June 21, the Sun's rays are directly over the ___

Tropic of Cancer

Where do midlatitude cyclones form?

polar front

The month most likely for a hurricane to occur in North America is ___

September

When did Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana?

2005

What is a Nor'easter?

Winter Storm

Which of the following best represents the length of the life cycle of a typical midlatitude cyclone?

1 week

When do most tornadoes form?

Afternoon

Which has the highest frequency of tornadoes in the USA?

Central States

"Weather" & "climate" are ___

different because climate studies long-term patterns of weather

Which of the following represents a typical count of confirmed tornadoes for a year in the USA?

1,000

Which continent is rarely affected by Tropical Cyclones?

South America

The midlatitudes are dominated by wind flows which are mainly from the ___

west

Wind speed is determined by ___

pressure gradient

Low-pressure centers are called ___

cyclones

Coriolis force exists because ___

the Earth rotates

The Köppen system of climate classification is based on ___

temperature & percipitation

The climatic type for the desert areas is ___

BW

On both the Spring & Fall Equinoxes in the Southern Hemisphere, the Sun's rays are vertically overhead at the ___

Equator

Where is a place that tropical cyclones do not form?

South Atlantic

Where are typhoons?

Western North Pacific

Hurricane formation is rare within ___ degrees of the Equator

10

Which type of cloud is associated with a thunderstorm?

Cumulonimbus

According to the Köppen Climate Classification System, which is the classic Mediterranean Climate?

Cs

When do tornadoes generally occur in the USA?

April, May, & June

Which of the following can be said to be the "death" of a midlatitude cyclone?

Occulusion

Which is the Köppen Climate of Austin, Texas?

Cfa

Which is the first day of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere?

Vernal equinox

Trade winds are found ___

between about latitudes 25º North & South of the Equator

Some severe thunderstorms develop a strong vertical updraft, commonly known as a ___

mesocyclone

The process of condensation of water from a gas to a liquid releases stored energy called ___

latent heat

Which cold ocean current influences tropical cyclone formation in the South Atlantic?

Benguela

The energy source of hurricanes is ___

warm oceans

The Westerlies wind system influences the climate in the ___

midlatitudes

Where do thunderstorms occur most frequently?

Tropics