Physical Geography study guide // Exam 2

Relative Humidity (RH)

Ratio (%) of the actual water vapor in the air to the maximum amount the air can hold at that temperature.

Specific Humidity (SH)

Mass of water vapor per mass of air (g/kg); does not change with temperature.

Dew Point

Temperature at which air becomes saturated (RH = 100%). A high dew point indicates high specific humidity.

Radiation Fog

Forms overnight as ground cools.

Advection Fog

Occurs when warm moist air moves over a cooler surface.

Orographic Lifting

Process where air rises on the windward side of mountains and cools, leading to higher relative humidity and cloud formation.

Lifted Condensation Level (LCL)

The height where the dew point is reached and clouds begin to form.

Orographic Lifting

Air lifted over mountains.

Convectional Lifting

Occurs when the sun heats the surface, causing warm air to rise.

Frontal Lifting

Happens when warm air is forced over cold air at weather fronts.

Nimbostratus Clouds

Layered clouds that produce steady rain.

Cumulonimbus Clouds

Thunderstorm clouds associated with severe weather such as hail and lightning.

Collision-Coalescence Process

Common precipitation process in warm clouds, particularly in tropical regions.

Bergeron Process

Precipitation process in cold clouds involving ice crystals growing at the expense of supercooled droplets.

Air Mass Types

Classified as mT (maritime tropical), cT (continental tropical), mP (maritime polar), cP (continental polar).

Cold Front

A fast-moving weather front with a steep slope, leading to short, intense rain.

Warm Front

A slower-moving weather front with a gradual slope, resulting in long, steady rain.

Occluded Front

A type of front formed when a cold front catches up to a warm front, mixing weather patterns.

Mid-Latitude Cyclones

Low pressure systems characterized by warm and cold fronts and typically move from west to east.

Stages of Thunderstorms

Cumulus stage (updrafts), mature stage (up and downdrafts), dissipating stage (downdrafts dominate).