SEVERE WEATHER

What are the two types of heat important in atmospheric processes?

Sensible heat and Latent heat.

What is sensible heat?

Heat that may be sensed or measured.

What is latent heat?

Heat that is absorbed or released when a substance changes phase.

What are the three methods of energy transfer that influence our weather?

Conduction, convection, and radiation.

What drives the hydrologic cycle, ocean waves, and global atmospheric circulation?

The Sun's energy.

What does albedo refer to?

The reflectivity of a surface.

How do dark colored surfaces compare to light colored surfaces in terms of albedo?

Dark colored surfaces have a lower albedo than light colored surfaces.

What is the troposphere?

The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where clouds and weather occur.

What happens to temperature as altitude increases in the troposphere?

Temperature generally decreases with increasing altitude.

What causes air to rise and cool in locations of low atmospheric pressure?

Air rises, cools, condenses, and forms clouds and precipitation.

What happens to air in locations of high atmospheric pressure?

Air descends, leading to mostly clear sky conditions.

What does the Coriolis effect do?

It deflects the path of moving objects from the viewer's perspective.

How does the Coriolis effect influence moving objects in the Northern Hemisphere?

It deflects objects to the right.

How does the Coriolis effect influence moving objects in the Southern Hemisphere?

It deflects objects to the left.

What is a low-pressure system characterized by in terms of wind direction?

Counterclockwise rotation around a low in the Northern Hemisphere.

What characterizes a high-pressure system in terms of wind direction?

Clockwise rotation around a high in the Northern Hemisphere.

What is a storm?

A disturbance with strong winds and precipitation.

What is a cold front?

A boundary formed when cool air moves into a mass of warm air.

What conditions are necessary for a thunderstorm to develop?

Water vapor, temperature gradient, and an updraft.

What stage of a thunderstorm is characterized by downdrafts and falling precipitation?

Mature stage.

What defines a thunderstorm as severe?

Wind speed over 90 km/h, hail larger than 1.5 cm, or generation of a tornado.

What do downbursts from severe thunderstorms create?

Strong straight-line windstorms known as derechos.

What is hail composed of?

Rings due to added coatings during updrafts.

What are the main conditions for freezing rain to occur?

Ample moisture, warm air over cold air, and objects at freezing temperature.

What characterizes a hurricane?

Counter-clockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and classified by maximum sustained wind speed.