Meterology Final

Clouds are composed of ______.
water droplets
ice crystals
a mixture of water droplets and ice crystals
any of the above is correct

any of the above is correct

Sources of condensation nuclei are _______.
forest fires
volcanic eruptions
industrial chimneys
any of the above is correct

any of the above is correct

Through collision and coalescence, the terminal velocity of cloud droplets ______.
increases
does not change
decreases

increases

Most rain _______.
falls from nimbostratus or cumulonimbus clouds
originates as snowflakes or hailstones
does not freeze on contact with the ground
all of the above are correct

any of the above is correct

The Bergeron-Findeisen process takes place in _______.
warm clouds
clouds composed of ice crystals only
cirrus clouds
clouds composed of a mixture of ice crystals and supercooled water droplets

clouds composed of a mixture of ice crystals and supercooled water droplets

Vapor pressure that is saturated for water droplets is _______ for ice crystals at the same temperature.
also saturated
unsaturated
supersaturated

supersaturated

A frozen form of precipitation that occurs mostly in summer is _______.
hail
snow
ice pellets (sleet)
freezing rain

hail

_______ is a type of precipitation that falls from stratus clouds.
Rain
Snow
Hail
Drizzle

Drizzle

As a general rule, 100 cm of fresh snow melts down to _______ cm of water.
0.1
1.0
10.0
100.0

10.0

Weather radar sends out pulses of _______ radiation.
infrared
x-ray
microwave
ultraviolet

microwave

Ground clutter refers to _______.
the pattern of property damage caused by a tornado
radar echoes produced by fixed objects such as buildings
the impact of the second law of thermodynamics
radar echoes caused by hurricane winds

radar echoes produced by fixed objects such as buildings

Which one of the following is not a high cloud?
Cirrocumulus
Altocumulus
Cirrus
Cirrostratus

Altocumulus

Which one following clouds has a fibrous appearance?
Nimbostratus
Cirrus
Cumulus
Stratus

Cirrus

Which of the following clouds may be composed of ice crystals exclusively?
Cirrus
Cumulus
Stratus
Cumulonimbus

Cirrus

Which of the following clouds is most likely to produce rain or snow?
Noctilucent
Fog
Cirrus
Nimbostratus

Nimbostratus

In middle latitudes, a typical thunderstorm cloud is composed of _______.
ice crystals exclusively
water droplets exclusively
supercooled water droplets exclusively
water droplets, supercooled water droplets, and ice crystals

water droplets, supercooled water droplets, and ice crystals

A nearly stationary cloud that forms downwind of a prominent mountain barrier is _______.
altocumulus lenticularis
nacreous
noctilucent
Arctic sea smoke

altocumulus lenticularis

Fog forms as a consequence of _______.
radiational cooling
advective cooling
expansional cooling
any of the above is correct

any of the above is correct

Radiation fog is most likely to develop _______.
on the tops of hills
during late morning and early afternoon
over marshes and swamps
during windy nights

over marshes and swamps

Fog formed when relatively mild air flows over a relatively cold surface is _______ fog.
radiation
steam
upslope
advection

advection

On a weather map where isobars are closely spaced, the pressure gradient is relatively _______ and winds are relatively _______.
steep ... strong
weak ... strong
steep ... weak
weak ... weak

steep ... strong

Horizontal gradients in air pressure are caused by _______.
horizontal gradients in air temperature
horizontal gradients in water vapor concentration
divergence or convergence of winds
any of the above is correct

any of the above is correct

Air pressure is higher in the _______ than the _______.
troposphere ... mesosphere
heterosphere ... homosphere
ionosphere ... stratosphere
thermosphere ... mesosphere

troposphere ... mesosphere

All other factors being equal, air flows from regions of relatively _______ pressure toward regions of relatively _______ pressure.
high ... low
low ... high

high ... low

The centripetal force _______.
is a center-seeking force.
operates when the wind describes a curved path.
arises from the action of other forces.
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

The magnitude of the Coriolis Effect is maximum at _______ and zero at _______.
the equator ... 45° latitude
the poles ... the equator
Miami ... Chicago
0° latitude ... the North Pole

the poles… the equator

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis Effect causes an east wind to become a _______ wind.
northeast
west
southeast
northwest

southeast

In the Southern Hemisphere, the Coriolis Effect causes a west wind to become a _______ wind.
southwest
northwest
east
southeast

southwest

At the equator, the Coriolis Effect causes an east wind to become a _______ wind.
southeast
northeast
west
none of the above is correct

none of the above is correct

The effect of friction on wind speed and direction is greatest in the _______.
stratosphere
upper troposphere
lower troposphere
heterosphere

lower troposphere

Hydrostatic equilibrium is the balance between _______ and _______.
centripetal force...friction
the Coriolis Effect ... gravity
gravity ... vertical pressure gradient force
centripetal force ... the Coriolis Effect

gravity ... vertical pressure gradient force

Curved horizontal wind above the friction layer is the _______ wind.
geostrophic
hydrostatic
gradient
surface

gradient

Forces are _______ in the geostrophic wind and _______ in the gradient wind.
balanced ... balanced
balanced ... unbalanced
unbalanced ... balanced
unbalanced ... unbalanced

balanced ... unbalanced

Unaccelerated, horizontal, and frictionless flow in the atmosphere:
gradient wind
hydrostatic equilibrium
geostrophic wind
surface winds

geostrophic wind

In the Northern Hemisphere viewed from above, surface winds in a _______ blow counterclockwise and inward.
cyclone
anticyclone

cyclone

Usually a cyclone is a _______ weather system whereas an anticyclone is a _______ weather system.
fair ... stormy
stormy ... fair

stormy ... fair

In the Southern Hemisphere viewed from above, surface winds in an anticyclone blow _______.
clockwise and parallel to isobars
counterclockwise and outward
clockwise and outward
counterclockwise and parallel to isobars

counterclockwise and outward

Nocturnal radiational cooling is most intense _______.
at the center of an anticyclone
at the center of a cyclone
well to the east of an anticyclone
when the sky is cloud-covered

at the center of an anticyclone

Radiation fog is most likely when a region is under the influence of a(n) _______.
cyclone
anticyclone

anticyclone

Dew or frost is most likely when a region is under the influence of a(n) _______.
cyclone
anticyclone

anticyclone

The subtropical anticyclones on average are centered near _______ N and S latitude.
0°
30°
60°
90°

30°

On the eastern flank of a semipermanent subtropical anticyclone, _______.
the weather is often rainy
air subsides and is usually unstable
air ascends.
the weather is generally dry

the weather is generally dry

The world's major tropical deserts are located under the _______ flank of semipermanent subtropical anticyclones.
western
southern
northern
eastern

eastern

The horse latitudes are regions of relatively _______ surface winds near _______ degrees.
strong ... 30°
weak ... 60°
weak ... 30°
strong ... 60°

weak ... 30°

In the Northern Hemisphere viewed from above, surface winds blow _______ about the center of a subtropical anticyclone.
clockwise and outward
clockwise and inward
counterclockwise and outward
counterclockwise and inward

clockwise and outward

The midlatitude westerlies blow out of the _______ flank of subtropical anticyclones.
poleward
equatorward
eastern
western

poleward

In the Northern Hemisphere, trade winds blow from the _______ most of the time.
southeast
west
southwest
northeast

northeast

Trade winds blow out of the _______ flank of subtropical anticyclones.
equatorward
poleward
eastern
western

equatorward

The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) _______.
is a discontinuous belt of thunderstorms
shifts north and south with the seasons
marks the convergence of the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

The Hadley Cell _______.
occurs in midlatitudes only
resembles a huge convection cell
is bounded to the north by the Icelandic low
develops only in the Northern Hemisphere

resembles a huge convection cell

In the Northern Hemisphere spring, the semipermanent subtropical anticyclones shift toward the _______.
north
south

north

Surface pressures exerted by subtropical anticyclones are higher in _______ than _______.
summer ... winter
winter ... summer

summer ... winter

In San Diego and Los Angeles, CA, winters are relatively _______ and summers are relatively _______.
wet ... dry
wet ... wet
dry ... wet
dry ... dry

wet ... dry

The westerlies are more vigorous in _______ than _______.
winter ... summer
summer ... winter

winter ... summer

North-south exchange of air masses across North America is maximum during a _______ flow pattern in the westerlies.
zonal
meridional
split

meridional

A blocking circulation pattern may develop when the westerlies become strongly _______.
zonal
meridional

meridional

A jet stream _______.
occurs over the polar front
provides upper-air support for development of extratropical cyclones.
meanders with the westerlies
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

A cyclone forms to the _______ of a trough in the westerlies.
east
west

east

Upwelling _______.
is the long-term average situation off the northwest coast of South America
brings cold, nutrient-rich bottom water to the ocean surface waters
is suppressed off the northwest coast of South America during El Niño
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

As air pressure rises over northern Australia, air pressure falls over the tropical central Pacific Ocean. This phenomenon is known a _______.
El Niño
ITCZ
a singularity
the Southern Oscillation

the Southern Oscillation

Which one of the following air mass types exerts the highest surface pressure?
Maritime tropical
Pacific
Continental polar
Arctic

Arctic

An air mass modifies _______.
via radiational cooling
by exchanging heat and/or moisture with the surface over which it travels
through large-scale ascent or descent
any of the above is correct

any of the above is correct

Continental polar air modifies more rapidly when it travels over _______.
snow-covered ground
ground that is bare of snow

ground that is bare of snow

When winds aloft blow parallel to a front, then the front is usually _______.
a cold front
a warm front
an occluded front
stationary

stationary

When the westerly wave pattern is mostly zonal, _______ air floods the eastern two-thirds of the United States.
Arctic
maritime tropical
Pacific
continental tropical

Pacific

As a warm front approaches, clouds usually appear in the following sequence:
stratus, altostratus, cumulus
nimbostratus, cirrus, cirrocumulus
cirrus, cirrostratus, altostratus
cirrus, cumulus, stratus

cirrus, cirrostratus, altostratus

The cloud shield of a warm front typically is _______ that of a cold front.
broader than
narrower than
about the same width as

broader than

The coldest sector of a mature extra-tropical cyclone is located to the _______ of the cyclone center.
southeast
northeast
northwest
southwest

northwest

Surface winds in the northwest sector of a mature extra-tropical cyclone blow from the _______.
southeast
northwest
east
northeast

northwest

_______ is an air mass that occurs to the northwest of the center of a mature extra-tropical cyclone.
Continental polar or Arctic
Maritime tropical
Continental tropical
Maritime polar

Continental polar or Arctic

Cyclones that follow the _______ track bring the heaviest winter snows to the upper midwest.
Colorado
Alberta
East Gulf
North Pacific

Colorado

The usual weather just ahead of a warm front is _______.
thunderstorms
clear skies
fog and drizzle
similar to the weather just ahead of a cold front

fog and drizzle

Colorado-track cyclones are most common in _______.
summer
fall
winter
spring

winter

Alberta-track cyclones _______.
occur primarily in summer
usually produce heavy precipitation
may occur at any time of year
often affect the weather of the American Southwest

may occur at any time of year

A warm-core cyclone _______.
has no fronts
is associated with fair weather
is most likely in summer
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

A(n) _______ is the product of extreme radiational cooling.
thermal low
cold-core cyclone
arctic high
warm-core anticyclone

arctic high

Sea and land breezes are examples of _______ scale atmospheric circulation systems.
planetary
synoptic-
meso-
micro-

meso-

A force that is usually negligibly small in sea breezes is _______.
friction
pressure gradient
Coriolis Effect
none of these is correct

Coriolis Effect

Dust devils _______.
are tornadoes that form over deserts
are linked to cumulonimbus clouds
often cause major property damage
originate over hot and dry surfaces

originate over hot and dry surfaces

Mountain and valley breezes are most likely to develop ______.
during fair weather
in summer
when synoptic-scale winds are light
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

Updrafts occur alongside downdrafts during the _______ stage in the life cycle of a thunderstorm cell.
towering cumulus
mature
dissipating
any of the above is correct

mature

The dissipating stage of a thunderstorm life cycle features _______.
an updraft only
a downdraft only
both updraft and downdraft

a downdraft only

Most precipitation occurs during the _______ stage in the life cycle of a thunderstorm cell.
towering cumulus
mature
dissipating

mature

In North America, thunderstorms are most common _______.
along coastal California
in eastern Colorado
in central Florida
in Boston, Massachusetts

in central Florida

Severe thunderstorms are most often associated with well-defined _______ fronts.
cold
warm
occluded
stationary

cold

A squall line _______.
is an elongated area of thunderstorms
is associated with a well-defined cold-front
may occur day or night
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

A severe thunderstorm is accompanied by _______.
locally damaging winds
frequent lightning
large hail
any combination of the above is correct

any combination of the above is correct

Air is a _______ conductor of heat and a _______ conductor of electricity.
poor ... good
poor ... poor
good ... good
good ... poor

poor ... poor

A downburst _______.
originates in a thunderstorm downdraft
may cause extensive property damage
may be either a microburst or macroburst depending on the size of the impacted area
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

Flash flooding is possible when persistent heavy rains fall _______.
on frozen ground
on soils already saturated with water
in mountainous terrain
any of the above is correct

any of the above is correct

Hail-producing thunderstorms are characterized by _______.
strong updrafts
great vertical development
abundant supply of supercooled water droplets
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

The most important force operating within a tornado is _______.
the Coriolis Effect
gravity
the horizontal pressure gradient force
friction

the horizontal pressure gradient force

The condensation cloud that often accompanies tornadic circulation is a _______.
dust devil
funnel cloud
virga
mammatus cloud

funnel cloud

Tornadoes are most frequent over _______ terrain.
mountainous
wet, swampy
dry, flat
snow-covered

dry, flat

Which one of the following states does not have a higher frequency of tornadoes?
Texas
Kansas
Nebraska
Utah

Utah

In spring, there is a general _______ progression of tornado occurrences.
eastward
westward
southward
northward

northward

_______ percent of all thunderstorms produce tornadoes.
Less than 1
About 20
Almost 50
Nearly 75

Less than 1

Tornado damage is caused by _______.
high winds
strong updraft
an abrupt air pressure drop
all of the above are correct

all of the above are correct

The most destructive tornadoes rate _______ on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale.
0 or 1
2 or 3
3 or 4
4 or 5

4 or 5

In the United States, EF-5 tornadoes are relatively _______.
common
rare

rare