Severe and Unusual Weather: Compiled Quizzes for Final

In the word meteorology, the word meteor refers to hydrometeors. Hydrometeors are

water or ice particle that form in the Earth's atmosphere

Meteorology is the

scientific study of the atmosphere and its impacts.

The National Weather Service

is the official voice of the U.S. government for issuing weather forecasts, watches, and warnings.

Which of the following statements best describes what is meant by a scientific consensus?

Based on evidence most scientists within a particular field of study agree on the answer to a scientific question.

Which of the following best define the Scientific Method?

a process fundamental to scientific investigation and the acquisition of ne knowledge.

Which of the following best define weather?

the condition of the atmosphere at a specific time and place.

A good hypothesis

can be tested with an experiment.

The best explanation for why science is described as a process is because

a hypothesis shown to be false can still advance knowledge.

The primary difference between weather and climate is

the measure of time.

The scientific method is use to

ensure that other scientists can replicate a scientific study.

According to the laws of radiation, If the average temperature of the sun decreases it would emit most of its radiation

at longer wavelengths.

When energy is ABSORBED

electromagnetic energy is transferred to the molecule of the air and Earth's surface. It causes the temperature to increase.

When energy is REFLECTED

electromagnetic energy is redirected It doesn't interact with the Earth's surface or atmosphere and it doesn't cause either to warm.

When energy is EMITTED

electromagnetic energy is release from the Earth's surface and atmosphere and goes back to space. It eventually causes the temperature to decrease and create a balance.

Temperature in the troposphere decreases with height, indicating that the Earth's surface is heated from below. Which of the following plays a role in this process?

Convection transfers warm air molecule near the Earth's surface to higher altitudes.

The sky appears blue BECAUSE

blue light is scattered most easily by gas molecule in the atmosphere.

What causes the sky to appear white?

aerosols nearly equal in wavelength to sunlight cause all colors of light to be scattered equally

What is meant by a balanced Earth energy budget?

the total amount of solar energy absorbed by the Earth and its atmosphere is equal to the total amount of energy emitted by the Earth and its atmosphere

When a north wind blows in, temperature decreases. What method of heat transfer best describes what is happening?

Advection is transporting cold air into the area.

Which of the following best describes the process by which a rainbow is formed?

Light is refracted upon entering a raindrop, reflected off of the back of that raindrop, and refracted again upon leaving the raindrop

Which of the following statements best describes the difference between CONVECTION and ADVECTION?

Convection in the atmosphere occurs when warm causes air to move vertically and advection occurs when air moves horizontally to fill in the void left by rising air.

Why do sunsets appear red?

the long path of the atmosphere at sunset completely scatters away the shorter wavelengths of light

A cyclone is

a low pressure system that has air spiraling into the center.

Air pressure is defined as the force per unit area exerted on a surface by the _______ of air molecule above that surface.

weight

An anticyclone is

a high pressure system that has air spiraling out of it.

A value of sea level pressure that you would typically see on a weather map is

1000 millibars

Line on a weather map that connect points of equal pressure are called

Isobars

Standard sea level pressure is approximately

1013 millibars

the Coriolis force deflects a freely moving object to the __________in the northern hemisphere and to the _____________in the Southern HEMISPHERE.

right, left

The pressure gradient force is directed from higher to lower pressure

everywhere.

This force is a force that arises solely from the Earth's rotation and causes moving objects to curve from their initial direction.

Coriolis force

Wind can be defined as

the movement of air relative to the Earth's rotating surface.

A color scale is used to display velocity as measured by a Doppler radar. Which color indicates wind moving toward the radar?

Green

A radiosonde takes measurements in which of the following layers of the atmosphere?

stratosphere

ASOS stands for

Automated Surface Observing System

Data from weather balloons are

incorporated into weather forecasting models.

Doppler radar is able to detect wind speed by

detecting change in the frequency of the scattered electromagnetic energy.

Geostationary satellites monitor the Earth's weather systems by sensing electromagnetic radiation coming from the Earth in what channels?

infrared water vapor, and visible

"Hook Echo" is a feature see on what type of weather product?

a radar reflectivity image

Infrared energy sensed by weather satellite is related to what property?

the temperature of the highest surface visible from the satellite

Polar orbiting satellites

circle the earth in a direction over the Arctic and Antarctic.

Radar gathers information about precipitation by measuring the

amount of energy scattered back to the radar.

The jet stream is a

narrow zone of strong wind encircling the Earth.

The air flow in this diagram is indicative of a _______ pressure system on the surface.

low

Which location on the map below denotes a typical position for the summer jetstream?

A

Commercial jets tend to fly at or near the tropopause.Given that the height of the tropopause is sensitive to temperature, use the map below to identify the location where a commercial jet would be flying at the lowest altitude.

A

The cloud shown below has vertical development and is producing lightning, thunder and rain. What type of cloud is this?

Cumulonimbus

The high, puffy clouds shown below are the same size, or smaller, than the width of your littlest finger when you hold out your hand at arm's length.

cirrocumulus

The low, layered cloud pictured below is producing rain. What type of cloud is this?

nimbostratus

The puffy clouds shown below are part of the middle cloud group.What type of clouds are these?

altocumulus

The thin, layered clouds shown below are part of the high cloud group. What type of clouds are these?

cirrostratus

This layered middle cloud consists of water and some ice crystals. It usually covers the whole sky and has a gray or blue-gray appearance.What type of cloud is this?

altostratus

An unstable air mass is a mass of air which, if pushed up, will tend to

remain warmer than the surrounding air and rise.

A process where heat is not exchanged between a mass and its environment is called a(n)__________process.

adiabatic

a saturated parcel of air that is lifted will expand and cool at the _______________.

moist adiabatic lapse rate

A stable air mass is a mass of air which, if pushed up, will tend to

remain cooler than the surrounding air and sink.

Clouds are most likely to form when

air rises due to heating of the Earth's surface.

During which phase change is latent heat absorbed from the atmosphere?

evaporation and sublimation

Latent heat is

energy associated with phase changes.

The dewpoint temperature is the temperature at which

water vapor condenses into a liquid.

The Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate is defined at the rate of cooling or warming

that takes place in a rising or descending parcel of unsaturated air.

This phase change that occurs when water vapor in the atmosphere turns directly to ice is called

Deposition

A column of air that is only experiencing convergence will

have a higher mass and an increased surface pressure.

An approaching extratropical cyclone would be identified by a___________ barometer reading.

falling

Early in its lifetime a cold front moves

to the south.

Extratropical cyclones are beneficial in that they

bring rain to the agricultural producing regions of the U.S.

Extratropical cyclones

derive energy from latent heat released during condensation.

Given the following schematic of a warm front, which airmass would consist of the coldest air?

B

High pressure centers are associated with

divergence at the surface and convergence aloft.

If convergence in the upper atmosphere EXCEEDS surface divergence more air molecules will

be added to the surface than are removed and the surface pressure will increase.

Iowa city IA is under the influence of a continental tropical airmass. If a maritime tropical airmass moved over Iowa City, the dewpoint temperature will

increase.

What is most likely to occur when a mass of warm air moves into a region occupied by colder air?

a warm front will form and warm air will be forced upward.

A blizzard-producing extratropical cyclone develops, what direction does the associated Arctic air mass move?

southward

Cold air over the Great Plains contributes to blizzard conditions

causing a large pressure gradient to form over the Great Plains, creating strong winds.

Colorado lows tend to have greater snowfall amounts than Alberta Clippers because

Colorado lows have a close proximity to a moisture source region.

Using the temperature profile shown below, identify Which one corresponds to a location where sleet is falling?

D

When driving home for the semester break this December, you should carry a winter storm survival kit that includes: blankets, a flashlight, drinking water, non-perishable candles, kitty litter, and waterproof matches.

True

What type of blizzard is described by the statement below?

"We left Omaha and headed west along Interstate-80 the day before Christmas. At first the snow was light, but then it really started to come down. I could barely see to drive; the thermometer on my car showed that the temperature dropped from 31 degree Fahrenheit in Omaha to 20 degrees by the time we hit Grand Island; the wind started blowing so strong that it was snowing sideways! By the time we reached Kearney, the Interstate was closed and we had to stay in a hotel. In the morning everything was covered with about a foot and a half of snow and the drifts were over 10 feet high! We ended up spending Christmas day in the hotel."

Colorado Cyclone

The storm moved at a breakneck pace during the day. It moved from Montana in the early hours of the 12th, crossed the Dakota Territory from mid-morning to early afternoon, and reached eastern Nebraska. At mid-afternoon, in the cold air behind the low, the temperature dropped from a few degree above freezing to −20 degree Fahrenheit (−40 °F in some places). This wave of cold was accompanied by very strong wind and snow. What weather system caused this to occur?

Alberta Clipper

The ASOS at the local Airport is reporting wind speed of 35 mph, snow, and visibility of 3/4 of a mile; the National Weather Service forecasts that these conditions will last for most of the day. Based on this information, would the National Weather Service also issue a blizzard warning?

No, the conditions are not right.

Examine the schematic of an extratropical cyclone shown below. The heavy, black line represents the 32° F isotherm at the surface. In which location, would you most likely experience snow?

A

A storm with freezing precipitation is called an ice storm if

it causes structural damage.

All thunderstorms require the presence of a lifting mechanism. What meteorological feature and product would you examine to determine if this were present?

fronts on a surface weather map

All thunderstorms require the presence of a unstable atmosphere. Which of the following items could you use to identify this?

CAPE on a sounding (Stuve diagram)

A meteorological term applied to a cellular pattern of pouches hanging underneath the anvil of a thunderstorm.

mammatus cloud

A stream of descending air within a thunderstorm is called the

downdraft

A thunderstorm is approaching and you feel a cool air rushing out from the thunderstorm. What is this called?

gust front

In Which of the following cities would a person see on average the most thunderstorms in a year?

Orlando, FL

Severe thunderstorms require the presence of vertical wind shear. Which of the following items could you use to identify this?

wind barbs on a Stuve diagram (sounding)

What feature typically forms over the gust front when a warm air is lifted?

shelf cloud

What is the altitude in the atmosphere where a rising parcel of air first become saturated?

Lifting Condensation Level

Which of the following thunderstorm type is least likely to produce 2 inch hail?

single cell thunderstorm

You are driving and encounter small hail. You check your iPhone and notice that your car is located in the position shown below with respect to a severe thunderstorm. What should you do to avoid having your car destroyed by large hail?

turn and drive toward location B

Examine the radar reflectivity image shown below of a thunderstorm producing hail. Which car is in imminent danger of getting pummeled by the largest hailstones?

3

You hear on the news that penny size hail is being reported in a thunderstorm headed in your direction. What is the approximate size of this hail?

0.75 inch diameter

The figure below is a schematic of a hook echo. Which path through the storm would take you through the largest hail?

D1 to D2

You hear on the news that the largest size hailstone in the U.S. has just been recovered. What is the approximate size of this hail?

volleyball

When you first barely hear thunder or see even a single, distant lightning flash at golf course, you should

seek shelter inside a substantial building where people live or work, or in a metal-topped vehicle

"Bolt from the Blue" lightning flashes are a very dangerous type of _____ to _____ lightning flash.

cloud ground

Why can you sometimes see lightning, but can't hear thunder? As the sound waves propagate into the warmer air at lower levels:

The sound wave is refracted upward so you can't hear the thunder beyond a critical distance.