METEROLOGY EXAM 3

What happens to an air parcel when it is cooler than the surrounding air?

1.    It sinks because it’s denser. It’s stable

absolute stability

Absolute stability is when the lifted air parcel is always cooler and denser than its surroundings causing it to sink back down regardless of if its saturated or not.

absolute instability

Absolute Insatiability is when a lifted parcel rises regardless of if its saturated or not.

conditional instability

Absolute Insatiability is when a lifted parcel rises regardless of if its saturated or not. Conditionally instability depends on whether the air parcel is saturated. Unsaturated will sink

On a hot summer afternoon, the surface is heated strongly while the air aloft is cooler. What type of stability would you expect? What type of clouds or weather might develop?

Unstable, Convection weather, cumulus clouds.

During a calm, clear night, the ground cools quickly while the air above stays warmer. What type of stability does this create? What might you observe in the morning?

  Absolute stable atmosphere, temperature inversion or radiation inversion.

In a humid environment, the air is cool at the surface but saturated. How does conditional instability affect potential storm development?

   It enables a powerful updraft, condensation offsets the normal process. Can lead do thunderstorm.

Freezing energy is

Released

Melting energy is

Absorbed

Condensation energy is

Released

Evaporation energy is

Absorbed

Disposition

Water vapor to solid (released)

Sublimation

Solid to water vapor (absorbed)

Latent Heat 

heat energy of phase change 

Specific Heat

the heat capacity of a substance

Water

has a higher specific heat than land, meaning water warms more slowly and requires more energy

Moisture

Can exist in gaseous phase. Colorless and odorless

Measures of humidity

Absolute, Specific Humidity, Mixing ratio

Absolute humidity

Mass of water vapor in a given volume of air. As an air parcel rises, its absolute humidity would change

Specific Humidity

 ratio of the mass of water vapor in the air to total mass of air

Mixing ratio

 Ratio of the mass of water vapor in the air to remaining dry air

Vapor Pressure

partial pressure of water vapor in the atmosphere (Dalton’s Law)

Saturation Vapor pressure (es)

maximum vapor pressure that can be achieved at given temperature and air pressure

LCL is found when

Dp and Dry adiabat first intersect

LFC is found when

Dp and Moist adiabat first intersect

El

Moist adiabat and tem cross pathes the SECOND time

Differentiate between mixing ratio and specific humidity

Specific is total mass air where mixing is remaining dry air

What happens to an air parcel when it is warmer than the surrounding air?

It becomes less dense and rises. Its unstable

On a hot summer afternoon, the surface is heated strongly while the air aloft is cooler. What type of stability would you expect? What type of clouds or weather might develop?

Unstable, Convection weather, cumulus clouds

During a calm, clear night, the ground cools quickly while the air above stays warmer. What type of stability does this create? What might you observe in the morning?

1.    Absolute stable atmosphere, temperature inversion or radiation inversion.

In a humid environment, the air is cool at the surface but saturated. How does conditional instability affect potential storm development?

It enables a powerful updraft in humid environments

Step1: Find LCL

• where dry adiabat and mixing ratio meet (the blue slanted lines, /=mixing, \ but slightly curved like ( =dry)

• Start from T and Td lowest plots

Step 2: Parcel Line

• Starts at LCL then follow wet adiabat lines to top of chart (curved upward lines ) shape)

• Parcel Line to the right of the environment/moist adiabat line meet

Step 4: EL

Last time environment line and parcel line meet

For the following states KE is what?

• Ice

• Vapor

• Liquid

• Low

• High

• Mod

Cin is

negative of cape

what warms slower water or land

water

Deltons Law Of Parcel Pressures

the total pressure of a mixture of non-reacting gases is the sum of the partial pressures of the individual gases

Latent heat is energy of phase change. What is the absorbed and released orders.

A- Solid, liquid, gas

R- Gas, liquid, Solid