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used interchangeably.
Select one:
True
False
Which statement best defines the convention for identification of wind direction?
Select one:
a. the direction from which the wind is blowing
b. the direction toward which the wind blowing
c. the average direction the wind blew from during the past hour
d. the expected wind direction during the next hour
Under the right conditions, graupel can grow into hail by collecting supercooled water
droplets.
Select one:
True
False
A typical extratropical cyclone has a diameter on the order of 1000 miles, nearly half the
size of the U.S.
Select one:
True
False
What term describes the force per unit area applied by water vapor molecules only?
Select one:
a. vapor pressure
b. relative humidity
c. dewpoint temperature
d. saturation vapor pressure
A north wind means that the wind is blowing from:
Select one:
a. the south to the north
b. the north to the south
c. the east toward the north pole
d. higher pressure toward lower pressure in the Northern Hemisphere.
Miami has a temperature of 80F and a dewpoint temperature of 55F. Boston has a
temperature of 15F and a dewpoint temperature of 13F. Which statement is
incorrect concerning these two cities?
Select one:
a. Miami has the higher vapor pressure.
b. Miami has the higher relative humidity.
c. Boston has less water vapor in the atmosphere.
d. Miami has the higher saturation vapor pressure.
e. Miami and Boston have very different values of relative humidity.
The type of turbulence that develops when wind speed changes rapidly with height is:
Select one:
a. thermal turbulence
b. political turbulence
c. adiabatic turbulence
d. mechanical turbulence
e. shear-induced turbulence
Friction acts to slow down the wind and is a significant force throughout the entire
troposphere.
Select one:
True
False
What is the term used to describe a narrow band of strong winds encircling the Earth in
middle-latitudes?
Select one:
a. cyclone
b. jetstream
c. jetstreak
d. storm system
Albert Einstein first stated the physical laws governing motion, including air motion.
Select one:
True
False
Trees, buildings and terrain features all deflect air in different directions, mixing air down
from aloft and up from the surface, resulting in thermal turbulence.
Select one:
True
False
________________________________
If a person wanted to estimate the value of relative humidity, which two variables could she
compare?
Select one:
a. air temperature and saturation vapor presure
b. air temperature and sea level pressure
c. air temperature and dewpoint temperature
d. dewpoint temperature and relative humidity
e. dewpoint temperature and sea level pressure
The pressure at the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago is lower than the pressure at the
bottom of the Tower.
Select one:
True
False
During which phase changes is latent heat released into the atmosphere?
Select one:
a. melting and freezing
b. evaporation and melting
c. condensation and freezing
d. evaporation and condensation
a. millibar [mb]
b. inches of mercury [in Hg]
c. pounds per square inch [lb/in2]
How does the average speed of air molecules influence the atmosphere?
Select one:
a. It determines the air temperature.
b. It indicates the presence of clouds.
c. It indicates if there will be precipitation.
d. It determines what the relative humidity is.
Which statement best defines the convention for identification of wind direction?
Select one:
a. the direction from which the wind is blowing
b. the direction toward which the wind blowing
c. the average direction the wind blew from during the past hour
d. the expected wind direction during the next hour
The atmosphere is in hydrostatic balance if the vertical pressure gradient force exactly
balances the downward Coriolis force.
Select one:
True
False
Where is the pressure gradient force directed from higher pressure toward lower pressure?
Select one:
a. only at the equator
b. at all places on earth
c. only in the Northern Hemisphere
d. only in the Southern Hemisphere
e. at all places on earth except for the equator
The _________ is an apparent force associated with the rotation of the earth.
Select one:
a. Coriolis force
b. frictional force
c. gravitational force
d. vertical pressure gradient force
e. horizontal pressure gradient force
The pole to equator temperature gradient is much stronger in winter than in summer.
Therefore, the jetstream aloft will generally be much stronger in winter than in summer.
Select one:
True
False
All air on Earth has angular momentum, except for what location(s)?
Select one:
a. the north pole
b. the south pole
c. the equator
d. Both a and b are correct.
e. a, b, and c are all correct.
Pressure varies in the vertical from 1013.25 mb at Earths surface (on average) to what
value near the tropopause?
Select one:
a. ~300 mb
b. ~30 mb
c. ~3 mb
d. ~0.3 mb
Divergence removes mass from a column of air while convergence adds mass to a column
of air.
Select one:
True
False
The divergent quadrants of a jetstreak are the left entrance and right exit regions.
Select one:
True
False
Which of the following can enhance surface high-pressure systems?
Select one:
a. Convergence in the right exit region of a jetstreak
b. Convergence due to curvature in the jetstream.
c. The cooling of the air in the vicinity of the high.
d. a and b are both correct.
e. a, b, and c are all correct.
The divergent quadrants of a jetstreak are its ________ and ________ quadrants.
Select one:
The effect of changing flow curvature in the jetstream is to create ________ downstream of
the ridge axis and ________ downstream of the trough axis.
Select one:
a. divergence; divergence
b. divergence; convergence
c. convergence; divergence
d. convergence; convergence
It is May on the Great Plains. A cold front is advancing toward you. What type of weather
conditions would you expect to find if the cold front is advancing into warm, moist,
conditionally unstable air?
Select one:
a. thunderstorms
b. widespread fog
c. freezing rain and sleet
d. clear skies
It is May on the Great Plains. A cold front is advancing toward you. What type of weather
conditions would you expect to find if the cold front is advancing into warm, moist, stable air?
PAGE 158
Select one:
a. thunderstorms
b. widespread fog
c. freezing rain and sleet
d. clear skies light rain or no rain at all.
Along a stationary front, air on the cold side of the front always moves in what direction?
Select one:
a. upwards
b. perpendicular to the front
c. parallel to the front
d. to the south
Clouds that develop along warm fronts typically are layered in nature and
any precipitation tends to be more widespread and steady.
Select one:
True
False
What type of surface pressure systems are typically associated with fair weather?
Select one:
a. high pressure
b. low pressure
c. both high and low pressure are associated with fair weather
Convergence throughout an entire air column is associated with increasing surface pressure.
Select one:
True
False
Air moving in a straight line that decelerates will lead to the development of a region of
convergence over the area of deceleration.
Select one:
True
False
Divergence removes mass from a column of air while convergence adds mass to a column
of air.
Select one:
True
False
Friction:
Select one:
a. increases wind speed at the surface.
b. is most important in the upper troposphere.
c. decreases surface wind speeds, ultimately leading to air flowing toward surface lowpressure centers.
d. exists between you and your sweetheart because you forgot Valentines Day.
If you examine a surface map and discover that there is a region where cold air is retreating and
warm air is advancing toward it, you would classify this as what meteorological feature?
Select one:
a. an airmass
b. a stationary front
c. a warm front
d. a cold front
Over land, the turning of air across isobars due to friction is on the order of 80 to 90
degrees.
Select one:
True
False
1. the following four questions, match the arrows drawn below for the set of 500 mb
isoheights with their correct forces or winds:
The image below shows the 500 mb map from 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning (January 28)
when wintry precipitation was occurring just to the south of Monroe. The solid black lines on
the map are the isoheights and the green shading represents higher values of relative
humidity at 500 mb. Complete the following questions about the 500 mb map given below:
Rank the states given below from 1-4 by the state with the largest (or strongest) pressure
gradient ("1") to the state with the smallest (or weakest) pressure gradient ("4")
represented by the slope of the isoheights implied above.
Using the the 500 mb map given above in #2, indicate the direction wind is blowing FROM in each of
the following places by circling the best answer:
eastern Montana
North
Colorado
Northwest
Vermont
Southwest
Missouri
West
Using the the 500 mb map given above in #2, rank the states given below from 1-4 by the
state with the strongest winds ("1") to the state with the weakest winds ("4").
Minnesota 4 weakest
Montana 3
Maine 1 strongest
Arkansas 2
Select one:
a. There is a low pressure system at the surface.
b. There are upward motions throughout the troposphere.
c. Surface pressures should increase over time.
Melissa J. Hinton
ATMS 1002
Synthesis Activity 3
Chapter 1--Temperature
1. Temperatures _______________ with height up to 12 km, they _______________ once they reach
over 12 km up to 50 km. Once they reach over 50 km they _______________ again. Temperatures
increase near the borders of outer space.
A. decrease; increase; increase
B. increase; decrease; increase
C. decrease; increase; decrease (pg. 4)
D. increase; increase; increase
E. They all vary each day depending on the weather patterns.
B. Tornado
C. Hurricane
D.
E. Cyclone
It is May on the Great Plains. A cold front is advancing toward you. What type of weather
conditions would you expect to find if the cold front is advancing into warm, moist,
conditionally unstable air?
Select one:
a. freezing rain and sleet
b. clear skies
c. thunderstorms
d. widespread fog
While historically ice storms have caused significant impact in the United States, since 2000
there have been very few. Scientists attribute this to global warming.
Select one:
True
False
The warm rain process of freezing precipitation formation refers to the fact that the air
temperature is above freezing through most of the troposphere.
Select one:
True
False
In the central United States, most freezing precipitation is associated with arctic fronts and
warm fronts.
Select one:
True
False
Ice pellets are another name for frozen raindrops; sleet is another name for snow.
Select one:
True
False
Freezing drizzle is most common in the northeast United States and eastern
Canada, while freezing rain is most common on the High Plains of the central U.S.
and Canada.
Select one:
True
False
One of the most destructive ice storms in North America occurred in January 1998
along the northeast U.S./Canadian border. One reason for this storms destruction
was the prolonged duration (five days) of glaze accumulation.
Select one:
True
False
False
The Great Lakes region experiences many extratropical cyclones. Which of the following
best describes why?
Select one:
a. The tracks of Rocky Mountain cyclones and Alberta Clippers converge over the Great
Lakes.
b. The Great Lakes is one the primary regions where extratropical cyclones initially develop.
c. The Great Lakes attract cyclones because of the large amounts of moisture in the air.
d. Both (a) and (b) are correct.
e. Both (a) and (c) are correct.
The tracks of extratropical cyclones that form east of the Rocky Mountains in Canada and
the United States typically converge over the Great Lakes region.
Select one:
True
False
Cyclones typically intensify as they move onto the Plains east of the Rockies. Why does this
occur?
Select one:
a. The fronts all converge in the region of the low-pressure center.
b. Winds converge into the low-pressure center at the surface due to friction.
c. Warm air from over the Great Lakes moves into the cyclone increasing snowfall
downwind of the lakes and increasing divergence aloft over the low.
d. Warm air moves north to the east of the cyclone and cold air moves south to the west of
the cyclone. This can lead to an intensification of the curvature and jetstreak effects aloft,
increasing divergence over the low.
e. All of the above contribute to a lowering of the surface pressure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
When a dry line passes, winds typically shift from westerly before the dryline
passes to easterly after the dryline passes.
Select one:
True
False
The two fronts that produce most of the freezing precipitation on the plains between the
Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains are:
Select one:
a. occluded fronts and dry lines.
Aircraft icing is most dangerous in freezing drizzle situations because the entire cloud in
which the aircraft is flying may consist of supercooled water.
Select one:
True
False
Cold air trapping often leads to freezing rain in which geographic region(s)?
Select one:
a. The Great Basin
b. Appalachian mountain valleys
c. The Colorado River valley
d. The Columbia River valley
e. Both b and d are correct.
One of the most destructive ice storms in North America occurred in January 1998 along the
northeast U.S./Canadian border. One reason for this storms destruction was the prolonged
duration (five days) of glaze accumulation.
Select one:
True
False
Freezing precipitation is generally found in a narrow (less than 100 mile wide) band on the
cold side of the 0C isotherm at the Earths surface.
Select one:
True
False
Waves in the upper atmosphere are vital to the development and intensification of
extratropical cyclones. When will a wave in the jetstream amplify?
Select one:
a. When warm air moves northward west of a low and cold air moves southward east of a
low.
b. When warm air moves southward west of a low and cold air moves northward east of a
low.
c. When cold air moves northward west of a low and warm air moves southward east of a
low.
d. When cold air moves southward west of a low and warm air moves northward east of a
low.
e. None of the above are correct. The amplification of an atmospheric wave has nothing to
do with the transport of air of differing temperatures.
Which of the following may occur when extratropical cyclones develop on the Plains east of
the Rockies in early spring?
Select one:
a. A line of thunderstorms will often form ahead of the dry line or upper level front.
b. A widespread area of moderate rain or snow will typically occur north of the warm front.
c. Heavy snow will fall along the Rockies north of the low because cold air is rising along the
topography in this region.
d. Air will flow counterclockwise around the low.
e. All of the above may occur.
Several frontal boundaries can be present south of an extratropical cyclone located east of
the Rocky Mountains. Which of the following statement(s) correctly describe(s) the types of
weather that can occur in this region of the cyclone?
Select one:
a. A wide shield of clouds will be sometimes be present east of the upper level front with
precipitation type changing from rain to freezing rain to sleet to snow as one goes from
west to east.
b. When the upper level front leads the dry line, there may be one line of storms along the
upper level front and a second along the dry line if the low-level air is sufficiently heated
during the daytime.
c. Upslope flow will lead to a wide region of snowfall along the Rocky Mountains in this
quadrant of the cyclone.
d. The intensity of the precipitation and the potential for severe weather will depend on the
stability of the warm moist air and how the winds change with height in the warm air ahead
of the leading front.
e. b and d are both correct.
The Great Lakes region experiences many extratropical cyclones. Which of the following
best describes why?
Select one:
a. The tracks of Rocky Mountain cyclones and Alberta Clippers converge over the Great
Lakes.
b. The Great Lakes is one the primary regions where extratropical cyclones initially develop.
c. The Great Lakes attract cyclones because of the large amounts of moisture in the air.
d. Both (a) and (b) are correct.
e. Both (a) and (c) are correct.
The tracks of extratropical cyclones that form east of the Rocky Mountains in Canada and
the United States typically converge over the Great Lakes region.
Select one:
True
False
The balance between the pressure gradient force and Coriolis force is known as the?
Select one:
a. force balance
b. gradient force
c. geostrophic balance
d. hydrostatic balance
Narrow bands of strong winds at upper levels below the tropopause are
Select one:
a. Wind convergence
b. Jet Streams
c. Jet streaks
d. Wind Divergence
Simple rules of winter travel can save your life if you are trapped on the road in a blizzard.
Travelers should ________________________
Select one:
a. Carry basic winter automobile safety items
b. Stay with your vehicle
c. Carry a winter storm survival kit
d. All of the above
e. condensation
How does the average speed of air molecules influence the atmosphere?
Select one:
a. It determines the air temperature.
b. It indicates the presence of clouds.
c. It indicates if there will be precipitation.
d. It determines what the relative humidity is.
The atmosphere is in hydrostatic balance if the vertical pressure gradient force exactly
balances the downward Coriolis force.
Select one:
True
False
A front is a narrow region with similar temperature characteristics directly under a jetstream
in the upper troposphere.
Select one:
True
False
If the earth did not rotate, the Coriolis force would be:
Select one:
a. strongest at the poles and zero at the equator.
b. strongest at the equator and zero at the poles.
c. strong and negative everywhere on earth.
d. zero everywhere on earth.
The atmosphere contains large numbers of invisible tiny particles called _____________.
Select one:
a. Deposition
b. Haze
c. Aerosol
Which of the following regions is not a preferred area for cyclone formation?
Select one:
a. Over the Pacific Ocean in the Gulf of Alaska
b. Over of the Great Lakes
c. East of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado
d. Near the North Carolina coast
e. Along the Texas-Louisiana coastline of the Gulf of Mexico
The balance between the pressure gradient force and Coriolis force is known as the?
Select one:
a. force balance
b. geostrophic balance
c. hydrostatic balance
d. gradient force
At what temperature (Celsius) does snow fall through the melting level and continue to fall
on the ground as rain?
Select one:
a. -10'c
b. 0'c
c. 2'c
d. 13'c
Which of Newtons laws relates the force exerted on an object to its acceleration?
Select one:
a. First law of motion
b. Second law of motion
c. Third law of motion
Select one:
a. Coriolis force
b. frictional force
c. gravitational force
d. vertical pressure gradient force
e. horizontal pressure gradient force
Which term is defined by the rate at which pressure changes with distance?
Select one:
a. pressure gradient
b. pressure contour
c. pressure unit area
d. pressure isoheight
Clouds that develop along warm fronts typically are layered in nature and
any precipitation tends to be more widespread and steady.
Select one:
True
False
Freezing precipitation is generally found in a narrow (less than 100 mile wide) band on the
cold side of the 0C isotherm at the Earths surface.
Select one:
True
False
If you become stranded in your car during a blizzard, which of the following is your best
course of action?
Select one:
a. Get out of your car immediately and walk to the nearest house.
b. Get out of your car, light danger flares at distances of 50 and 100 yards away to signal
for help, and return to your car.
c. Call for help if you have a cell phone and light a candle and wait while huddled in warm
clothes and blankets.
d. Run the engine so that the car's heater can keep you warm.
What is the term used to describe blizzards caused solely by blowing snow?
Select one:
a. white powder
b. diamond dust
c. ground blizzards
d. white blizzards
e. snow blizzards
The National Weather Service Issues a blizzard warning when falling or blowing snow is
accompanied by winds exceeding what speed?
Select one:
a. 40 knots
b. 35 knots
c. 30 knots
d. 50 knots
Extratropical cyclones:
Select one:
a. transport warm air northward and upward.
b. transport cold air southward and downward.
c. deposit latent heat (due to precipitation ) into the atmosphere.
d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above are correct.
The Great Lakes region experiences many extratropical cyclones. Which of the following
best describes why?
Select one:
a. The tracks of Rocky Mountain cyclones and Alberta Clippers converge over the Great
Lakes.
b. The Great Lakes is one the primary regions where extratropical cyclones initially develop.
c. The Great Lakes attract cyclones because of the large amounts of moisture in the air.
d. Both (a) and (b) are correct.
All extratropical cyclones affecting the Midwestern United States form in the lee of the
Rocky Mountains.
Select one:
True
False
Cyclones typically intensify as they move onto the Plains east of the Rockies. Why does this
occur?
Select one:
a. The fronts all converge in the region of the low-pressure center.
b. Winds converge into the low-pressure center at the surface due to friction.
c. Warm air from over the Great Lakes moves into the cyclone increasing snowfall
downwind of the lakes and increasing divergence aloft over the low.
d. Warm air moves north to the east of the cyclone and cold air moves south to the west of
the cyclone. This can lead to an intensification of the curvature and jetstreak effects aloft,
increasing divergence over the low.
e. All of the above contribute to a lowering of the surface pressure.
Several frontal boundaries can be present south of an extratropical cyclone located east of
the Rocky Mountains. Which of the following statement(s) correctly describe(s) the types of
weather that can occur in this region of the cyclone?
Select one:
a. A wide shield of clouds will be sometimes be present east of the upper level front with
precipitation type changing from rain to freezing rain to sleet to snow as one goes from
west to east.
b. When the upper level front leads the dry line, there may be one line of storms along the
upper level front and a second along the dry line if the low-level air is sufficiently heated
during the daytime.
c. Upslope flow will lead to a wide region of snowfall along the Rocky Mountains in this
quadrant of the cyclone.
d. The intensity of the precipitation and the potential for severe weather will depend on the
stability of the warm moist air and how the winds change with height in the warm air ahead
of the leading front.
e. b and d are both correct.
Which of the following regions is not a preferred area for cyclone formation? P 173
Select one:
a. over of the Great Lakes
b. near the North Carolina coast
c. east of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado
d. over the Pacific Ocean in the Gulf of Alaska
e. along the Texas-Louisiana coastline of the Gulf of Mexico
Waves in the upper atmosphere are vital to the development and intensification of
extratropical cyclones. When will a wave in the jetstream amplify?
Select one:
a. When warm air moves northward west of a low and cold air moves southward east of a
low.
b. When warm air moves southward west of a low and cold air moves northward east of a
low.
c. When cold air moves northward west of a low and warm air moves southward east of a
low.
d. When cold air moves southward west of a low and warm air moves northward east of a
low.
e. None of the above are correct. The amplification of an atmospheric wave has nothing to
do with the transport of air of differing temperatures.
An Alberta Clipper is an extratropical cyclone that develops east of the Canadian Rockies
and rapidly moves eastward, typically across the Great Lakes region.
Select one:
True
False
d. Alberta Clippers typically form in an environment where the air is very moist and warm.
e. Alberta Clippers move rapidly across the United States/Canadian border to the Atlantic
Ocean.
c. The region of a cyclone that experiences upslope flow may also develop strong winds and
cold temperatures
d. Both a and b are correct.
e. Both a and c are correct.
Black ice is difficult to see on a road because of either dirt within the ice or because it is not
visible on the road due to being covered by accumulating snow or difficult to see at night.
Select one:
True
False
b. Alberta Clipper
Blizzards associated with Alberta Clippers typically have colder temperatures than blizzards
associated with cyclones that form east of the Colorado Rockies.
In a blizzard, it is likely that exposed skin will feel colder than the wind chill temperature
due to melting and evaporation of snow and water on the skin.
In Rocky Mountain cyclones, blizzards occur under the wrap around part of the comma
cloud which meteorologists refer to as the trowal
Blizzards associated with Alberta Clippers typically produce less snow than blizzards
associated with cyclones that form east of the Colorado Rockies.
The map above shows the track of a strong cyclone at 12-hour intervals that brought
snowfall and hazardous winter weather conditions to the eastern United States. Using your
knowledge of airflow around a cyclone, determine the wind direction (NE, SE, SW, NW) at
locations A, B and C at the times listed .
NW SW SE NORTHEAST
SOUTHEAST
NW SW SE NORTHEAST
NW>SW
SW>NW
Which of the following is not helpful in obtaining data about the conditions of the
atmosphere?
Select one:
a. ships
b. long-range trucks
c. commercial aircraft
Commercial aircraft collect weather data during flight that is utilized by meteorologists at
the National Weather Service.
Select one:
True
False
What is the amount of infrared energy sensed by a GOES satellite related to?
Select one:
a. The solar radiation reflected by the surface.
b. The solar radiation absorbed by the surface.????
c. The emission of energy from only water molecules.
d. The temperature of the highest surface (cloud top or ground) visible from the satellite.
To obtain measurements over the ocean, thousands of buoys have been deployed, each
with the capability of launching rawinsondes without human assistance.
Select one:
True
False???
The United States is the only country in the world that has weather satellites.
Select one:
True
False
Pressure on a surface station model is coded only if it is outside of the range of 980 mb to
1040 mb.
Select one:
True
False
A vertical cross section through a thunderstorm might help identify the storm's updraft as
well as regions of hail.
Select one:
True
False
The contours on an upper level chart depict the altitude of a pressure surface.
Select one:
True
False
The Internet has made access to maps easier and required meteorologists to adopt a
standard plotting format so all maps look the same.
Select one:
a. true
b. false
Numerical weather prediction models cannot be used to study specific severe weather
phenomenon such as tornadic thunderstorms or hurricanes because these storms are still
too complicated for current computer technology.
Select one:
True
False
In general, which forecasts would you expect to be most accurate, all things being equal?
Select one:
a. short-range forecasts
b. medium-range forecasts
c. long-range outlooks
d. All forecasts have the same accuracy.
What type of forecast would provide the most useful information in predicting phenomena
such as El Nio and drought?
Select one:
a. short-range forecasts
b. medium-range forecasts
c. long-range outlooks
d. several years
e. several decades
At 0000 UTC 14 December, the actual date in the United States is still 13 December.
Select one:
True
False
The infrared channel on a GOES satellite can be used to estimate the temperature of cloud
tops.
Select one:
True
False
While satellites are able to detect several wavelengths of radiation, human eyes can only
detect visible wavelengths of radiation.
Select one:
True
False
The brightest regions on a or an __________ satellite image are associated with the coldest
clouds or surfaces.
Select one:
a. visible
b. infrared
c. water vapor
Geostationary weather satellites are placed in orbit over the equator at a distance of how
many miles above the Earths surface?
Select one:
a. about 100 miles
b. about 1000 miles
c. about 22,000 miles
A vertical cross section shows the conditions of the atmosphere at one particular location
across the span of several days.
Select one:
True
False
The contours on an upper level chart depict the altitude of a pressure surface.
Select one:
True
False
What type of weather product allows meteorologists to visualize the vertical structure of
fronts, clouds, and jet streams?
Select one:
a. upper air map
b. cross section
c. sea level pressure map
d. all of the above
One reason research models are seldom used for operational weather forecasting is that the
research simulations take too long to complete to be useful in a forecast.
Select one:
True
False
Mesoscale models are not typically used for operational weather forecasting because the
availability of observational data to resolve the initial state is inadequate.
Select one:
True
False
Which of the following weather phenomena would typically not be simulated using a
mesoscale research model?
Select one:
a. tornado
b. drought
c. hurricane
d. thunderstorm
Frontal squall lines trigger new thunderstorms as the front advances into the warm moist air
ahead of the front.
Select one:
True
False
Supercell thunderstorms account for most tornadoes, virtually all severe tornadoes,
damaging straight-line winds and most large hail.
Select one:
True
False
On radar, the bounded weak echo region of a supercell thunderstorm is where the volume
of the cloud has weak radar echoes and appears structurally similar to a gothic cathedral
vault.
Select one:
True
False
What type(s) of thunderstorms is (are) responsible for much of the summer rainfall on the
Central Plains?
Select one:
a. frontal squall line thunderstorms
b. airmass thunderstorms
c. supercell thunderstorms
d. mesoscale convective system thunderstorms
e. all thunderstorm types
Frontal squall lines make up the head of a comma cloud associated with an extratropical
cyclone.
Select one:
True
False
Prior to the development of a supercell, there is often a temperature inversion in the lower
troposphere.
Select one:
True
False
Select one:
a. conservation of energy
b. conservation of momentum
c. conservation of kinetic energy
d. conservation of angular momentum
It is believed that a significant number of the smaller tornadoes that occur across North
America each year are of what type?
Select one:
a. landspouts
b. gustnadoes
c. waterspouts
d. cold air funnels
This type of vortex forms along the boundary of cool outflow ahead of a thunderstorm.
Select one:
a. gustnado
b. dust devil
c. landspout
d. waterspout
e. cold air funnel
What is the speed of the strongest wind, and what pressure level is it located at?
Select one:
a. 50 knots, 150 mb
b. 100 knots, 200 mb
c. 100 knots, 150 mb
d. 50 knots, 250 mb
e. 50 knots, 200 mb
f. 100 knots, 250 mb
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What is the wind speed and direction at 500 mb?
Select one:
a. out of the northeast at 20 knots
b. out of the northeast at 40 knots
c. out of the southwest at 20 knots
d. out of the southwest at 40 knots
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Which layer is a cloud layer located at (where is the air saturated)?
Select one:
a. 900-950 mb
b. 850-900 mb
c. 950-1000 mb
d. 800-850 mb
What will happen if a parcel of air is displaced vertically in an unstable environment?
Select one:
a. It will remain in its new position.
b. It will return to its original position.
c. It will continue to accelerate away from its original position.
d. None of the above. Air cannot be displaced vertically in the atmosphere.
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Which best describes an air parcel?
Select one:
a. a cloud
b. a large area of rain
c. a volume of air that moves around in the atmosphere intact
d. the bubble of air sometimes seen on the top of thunderstorms
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Air lifted through the lifting condensation level will not necessarily become buoyant. The air
must be lifted through its level of free convection before it will rise freely.
Select one:
True
False
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10
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If an air parcel is ________, it will ____________ at the moist adiabatic lapse rate.
Select one:
a. saturated; expand and cool
b. saturated; expand and warm
c. saturated; contract and cool
d. unsaturated; expand and cool
e. unsaturated; contract and cool
The three primary channels used by satellites for imaging weather systems are AM
(amplitude modulated), FM (frequency modulated), and Microwave (tuned to water vapor
frequency).
Select one:
True
False
The brightest regions on a or an __________ satellite image are associated with the coldest
clouds or surfaces.
Select one:
a. visible
b. infrared
c. water vapor
The potential for damage from a falling hailstone increases with which of the following?
Select one:
a. the stones size
b. the stones fall speed
c. the horizontal windspeed
d. all of the above
What will likely happen to graupel particles that are located in the core of a strong
thunderstorm updraft early in their growth phase?
Select one:
a. They will melt.
b. They will become the largest hailstones.
c. They will shatter into smaller fragments.
d. They remain small because they will be swept into the upper part of the cloud.
a. solid
b. hard
c. soft
d. spongy
e. A hailstone can have any of the above characteristics.
Why are the interior structure of hailstorms and the growth processes of hail difficult to
study?
Select one:
a. Hailstorms move rapidly.
b. Hailstones melt too rapidly to permit careful study.
c. Storms containing hail cannot be distinguished by radar.
d. Flying research aircraft through a hailstorm is dangerous.
What is the current average lead time for tornado warnings?
Select one:
a. 0 minutes (no lead time)
b. 2 minutes
c. 6 minutes
d. 12 minutes
e. 27 minutes
b. the red-colored radar echoes that appear on Doppler radar during tornadic
thunderstorms
c. meteorologists who watch the skies through the windows of the National Weather Service
office
d. trained volunteer citizens who monitor severe weather conditions from a pre-determined
location
On what type of weather product would you be able to identify the mesocyclone signature
associated with a tornadic supercell?
Select one:
a. sounding
b. radar radial velocity
c. radar reflectivity
d. visible satellite
e. infrared satellite
Tornadoes may form in supercell thunderstorms, squall line thunderstorms and hurricanes.
Select one:
True
False
If the Doppler radar detects a mesocyclone signature, approximately how long does it take
forecasters to identify its position, track its movement and forecast its future location?
Select one:
a. seconds
b. at least 10 minutes
c. about a half hour
d. This is not possible yet.
The national network of wind profilers is concentrated in the central United States.
Select one:
True
False
The National Lightning Detection Network has only been implemented in parts of the
eastern United States.
Select one:
True
False
A or An ________ image from the GOES satellite allows us to measure the amount of
moisture in the atmosphere.
Select one:
a. visible
b. infrared
c. water vapor
Station models are used to represent data on both surface maps and upper air maps.
Select one:
True
False
The approximate direction and speed of the wind at the 500 mb level can be determined
from what type of map?
Select one:
A conditionally unstable atmosphere is______ for an air parcel that is unsaturated and
______ for an air parcel that is saturated.
Select one:
a. unstable; stable
b. unstable; unstable
c. stable; unstable
d. stable; stable
e. neutral; unstable
Melissa Hinton
Bi-weekly Forecast
Monthly Forecast
Spaghetti Forecast
Macaroni Forecast
None of the above
SWEAT Index
TT Index
SWAT Index
K Index
Nimbostratus clouds
Cumulus Clouds
Cumulonimbus clouds
None of the above (mammantus clouds)
Strong winds generally occur within ________________ of the surface, at the base of the curl in the
flow.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
30 to 50 meters
10 to 25 meters
70 to 80 meters
100 to 120 meters
None of the above
Mid-level
High-level
Low-Level
Both a & b
None of the above
UTC Time
Z
GMT
CST
The three primary channels used by satellites for imaging weather systems are AM
(amplitude modulated), FM (frequency modulated), and Microwave (tuned to water vapor
frequency).
Select one:
True
False
Doppler radar is a valuable tool for detecting severe thunderstorms but we have not yet
figured out how to use it to detect winter precipitation such as snow.
Select one:
True
False
Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) and Automated Weather Observing Systems
(AWOS) work nonstop, 24-hours a day, to collect atmospheric data.
Select one:
True
False
The frequency shift related to the movement of the raindrops and ice particles along the
direction of a Doppler radar beam is similar to the frequency shift in sound waves from a
trains whistle as the train approaches and then passes your location.
Select one:
True
False
At what altitude above sea level is the 500 mb pressure surface typically located?
Select one:
a. 1,000 ft
b. 5,000 ft
c. 10,000 ft
d. 18,000 ft
e. 30,000 ft
False
Which of the following is not considered to be a factor that contributes to the degradation of
forecasts made via numerical weather prediction?
Select one:
a. inexact equations
b. errors in initial data
c. inadequate resolution
d. climate changes due to global warming
If an air parcel is displaced vertically in a stable environment, what will the parcel do?
Select one:
a. remain in its new position
b. return to its original position
c. turn east due to the pressure change
d. turn north due to the pressure change
e. accelerate away from its original position
What term describes the accumulation of rain-cooled air near the surface, under a
thunderstorm?
Select one:
a. cold pool
b. gust front
c. shelf cloud
d. overshooting top
e. mammatus cloud
What is the term used to describe the bulge at the top of a thunderstorm caused by a
strong updraft?
Select one:
a. cold pool
b. gust front
c. shelf cloud
d. overshooting top
e. mammatus cloud
These vortices are most commonly observed off coastlines in tropical regions.
Select one:
a. gustnado
b. dust devil
c. landspout
d. waterspout
e. cold air funnel
If you wanted to determine the extent of cloud cover over the United States at noon,
Central Daylight Time in mid-summer, which weather product would you examine?
Select one:
a. sounding
b. wind profiler data
c. visible satellite image
d. radar reflectivity image
True
False
Tornadoes cannot hit downtown areas because the buildings deflect the airflow.
Select one:
a. Myth
b. Fact
If you are driving in a car on the highway and see a tornado behind you, find the nearest
overpass and hide under it.
Select one:
a. Myth
b. Fact
When the tornado siren goes off, go to the innermost room on the lowest level of your
house or building.
Select one:
a. Fact
b. Myth
a. Fact
b. Myth
Wind speeds within a tornado can exceed 200 miles per hour.
Select one:
a. Myth
b. Fact
If a tornado watch has been issued, this means a tornado has been sighted.
Select one:
a. Myth
b. Fact
If there is a tornado warning, you should open all the windows in your house or apartment.
Select one:
a. Myth
b. Fact
The radial velocity image shown below on the left and radar reflectivity image shown below
on the right is from May 24, 2011 when several tornadoes occurred in Oklahoma, including
a few EF4s and EF5s. The storm circled in blue was producing an EF4 tornado at this time
between Chickasha and Oklahoma City . Notice how the greens and blues toward the radar
and the reds and pink away from the radar form a nice counter-clockwise couplet in this
region. This is what you want to look for when determining whether a mesocyclone or some
other circulation that may be associated with a potential tornado (or one that is about to
occur) is present and should be warned on.
The top images above are zoomed in on the Broken Arrow tornado, while the bottom
images above are zoomed in on an EF1 tornado that occurred near Spavinaw, OK about an
hour later from the same storm. What kind of thunderstorm feature was associated with
these tornadoes?
Select one:
a. hook echo of a supercell thunderstorm
b. hook echo of a multicell thunderstorm
c. bookend vortex of a small bow echo feature of a squall line
At least three tornadoes were confirmed in south Louisiana on April 24, 2013, including two
associated with one of the storms circled above around Noon. Using the image above, which
storm do you think was producing tornadoes around this time?
Select one:
a. Storm 3
b. Storm 2
c. Storm 1
The image below is from April 2, 2012 when several tornadoes occurred in and around the
Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Using the images below, determine whether you think a
tornado warning should be issued for each storm discussed below.
Would you issue a tornado warning on storm 1?
Select one:
a. Yes
b. No
Hailstones that form via the wet growth regime typically have what characteristic?
Select one:
a. They are opaque or milky white.
b. They are at least one inch in diameter.
c. They have tiny air bubbles trapped inside the hailstone.
d. The surface temperature of the hailstone is at 0C.
Select one:
a. Two thunderstorms with opposite electrical charge collide.
b. The air within a lightning channel heats and cools rapidly, expanding and contracting.
c. Turbulent wind motions within the thunderstorm create a loud boom sound.
d. Positively and negatively charged cloud particles collide and neutralize each other,
resulting in a loud explosion.
Earths fair weather electric field has a net __________ charge in the atmosphere and a net
__________ charge on the ground.
Select one:
a. positive; positive
b. positive; negative
c. negative; negative
d. negative; positive
Select one:
a. tropical disturbance
b. tropical depression
c. tropical storm
d. hurricane
Air descends __________ in the eye of a hurricane and rises __________ in the eyewall.
Select one:
a. slowly; slowly
b. slowly; more rapidly
c. rapidly; more rapidly
d. rapidly; slowly
Hurricanes that develop in the Northern Hemisphere often migrate into the Southern
Hemisphere.
Select one:
True
False
Which of the following characteristics of a radar beam can be used to distinguish regions of
hail and regions of heavy rain?
Select one:
a. frequency
b. polarization
c. duration of the transmitted pulses
d. time between the transmitted pulses
Immediately prior to a normal polarity cloud-to-ground lightning strike, what are the
respective net charges of the upper cloud, lower cloud and the ground?
Select one:
a. negative, positive, negative
b. positive, negative, positive
c. negative, negative, positive
d. positive, positive, negative
What is the estimated annual loss in the United States due to lightning?
Select one:
a. $1 million
b. $4 to 5 million
c. $1 billion
d. $4 to 5 billion
e. $10 billion
Select one:
a. 35 percent
b. 50 percent
c. 65 percent
d. 85 percent
What part of the hurricane emanates out from the center of the cyclone and is associated
with a curled shape, as viewed from above?
Select one:
a. eye
b. funnel
c. eyewall
d. spiral rainband
The strongest hurricanes are ranked EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
Select one:
True
False
Information about the rotational wind speeds and forward movement of four hurricanes is
provided in the sketches below. Four quadrants in each storm are defined relative to the
direction the storm is moving. Use the information to evaluate the winds in the eyewall in
the four quadrants of the storm (right, left, front and back). In addition, use the information
provided to determine the Saffir-Simpson rating of each hurricane.
Answer 1
Choose...
Answer 2
Choose...
Answer 3
Choose...
Answer 4
Choose...
Answer 5
Choose...
Answer 6
Choose...
Answer 7
Choose...
Answer 8
Choose...
Answer 9
Choose...
Answer 10
Choose...
Answer 11
Choose...
Answer 12
Choose...
Match the statements to the types of lightning phenomena listed below. Some answers can
be used more than once.
HL heat lightning
BE bead lightning
SL sheet lightning
SE St. Elmos Fire
RS red sprites
BJ blue jets
EL elves
BA ball lightning
PP positive polarity lightning
ST stepped leader
PP
Answer 1
Choose...
Answer 2
Answer 3
Choose...
Choose...
Answer 4
Answer 5
Answer 6
Answer 7
SL
Choose...
Choose...
Choose...
Choose...
Answer 8
Answer 9
Answer 10
SE
Choose...
Choose...
Choose...
Melissa J. Hinton
ATMS 1002
Synthesis Activity 3
Chapter 1--Temperature
1. Temperatures _______________ with height up to 12 km, they _______________ once they reach
over 12 km up to 50 km. Once they reach over 50 km they _______________ again. Temperatures
increase near the borders of outer space.
A. decrease; increase; increase
B. increase; decrease; increase
C. decrease; increase; decrease (pg. 4)
D. increase; increase; increase
B. Tornado
C. Hurricane
D.
E. Cyclone
A. South Dakota
B. New York
C. Minnesota
D. North Dakota
E. Both B & C
F. Both A & D (pg. 263)