final exam
Mid-latitude cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere typically travel primarily in this direction: A. east. B. west. C. north. D. south.
A
Rising air is usually associated with a(n) ________ while sinking air is usually associated with a ________. A. trough; ridge B. ridge; trough C. high pressure system; low pressure system D. inversion; neutral atmosphere
A
The Fujita scale: A. classifies the greatest number of tornadoes as "weak." B. has six categories. C. includes F6 tornadoes, which occur only a few times a year. D. classifies tornadoes by the width of their spouts.
A
The driving force of all hurricanes is: A. the release of latent heat. B. the sub-tropical jet stream. C. the Coriolis force. D. the polar jet stream.
A
The eye of a hurricane has all of the following characteristics, except: A. an average passage time of 5-10 minutes. B. night winds. C. descending air. D. relatively clear skies.
A
The fronts in a wave cyclone often take on what type of shape? A. Inverted V-shape. B. Linear. C. L-shape. D. None of the above.
A
The thermoelectric-effect explanation for lightning: A. depends on the transfer of negative charge to hailstones. B. cannot occur in a cloud that extends above the freezing level. C. is dependent upon a magnetic field to induce charge separation in ice pellets. D. depends upon ice crystals moving to the bottom of the cloud.
A
The three stages of the air mass thunderstorm are: A. cumulus, mature, dissipating. B. cumulus, dissipating, mature. C. initial, mature, degenerating. D. initial, middle, dissipating. E. first, middle, ending.
A
This component describes the overall rotation of air: A. absolute vorticity. B. relative vorticity. C. Earth vorticity. D. Rossby vorticity.
A
This region does not spawn any tropical storms: A. Southern Hemisphere Atlantic Ocean. B. Southwestern Indian Ocean. C. Southeastern Indian Ocean. D. Eastern Pacific Ocean.
A
This type of lightning extends up to 95 kilometers above the top of a thunderstorm, and it resembles a jellyfish: A. sprite. B. St. Elmo's fire. C. ball lightning. D. sheet lightning.
A
Tropical disturbances are most likely to form: A. through the actions of easterly waves. B. through convection processes associated with ITCZ. C. when mid-latitude troughs migrate south. D. above 20 degrees latitude and below -20 degrees latitude.
A
Upon reaching the east coast of North America, tropical storms and hurricanes are most likely to move in this general direction: A. north. B. south. C. east. D. west.
A
Which of the following exhibits "banding" in a hurricane? A. Rainfall intensity. B. Distributions of pressure. C. Distributions of wind speed. D. none of the above
A
Which of the following is caused by the localized heating of the air from below? A. Thermal low. B. Cold core low. C. Dynamic low. D. Exchange low.
A
________ are the "mixmasters" of the atmosphere. A. Mid-latitude cyclones B. Tornadoes C. Gust fronts D. Cold fronts E. Short waves
A
Divergence and diffluence: A. are vastly different. B. are complimentary. C. cannot coexist. D. are confusing to most forecasters. E. are two totally different and unrelated concepts.
B
What % of the moisture that condenses within an air mass thunderstorm actually falls as precipitation? A. 5% B. 10% C. 20% D. 33%
C
When a large number of runaway electrons accumulate in a small volume, the energy is released in a process called a: A. electron conveyer. B. positive discharge. C. runaway breakdown. D. volumetric discharge.
C
Which of the following more accurately describes the precipitation patterns of a Mature Cyclone? A. Light precipitation. B. Wide band of precipitation. C. Intense precipitation. D. Precipitation always in the form of snow.
C
Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. Air flow in the upper troposphere can influence surface pressure. B. Air flow in the lower troposphere can influence surface pressure. C. Surface cold fronts do not influence the upper troposphere. D. Surface warm fronts do influence the upper troposphere.
C
_______ lightning is extremely dangerous since it can occur from a relatively cloud-free sky. A. Sheet B. Heet C. Anvil D. Cloud-to-cloud E. Ball
C
1. The wind speed of a hurricane (in the northern hemisphere) is greatest: A. on the left-hand side of the storm. B. behind the storm. C. in front of the storm. D. on the right-hand side of the storm.
D
3. Mid-latitude cyclones: A. typically last a month or more. B. do not really have the characteristics and behavior ascribed to them by the theory of cyclogenesis. C. rarely travel more than a few hundred kilometers. D. often bring substantial changes in wind and temperature.
D
6. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A. Upper-level divergence increases the strength of mid-latitude cyclones. B. Rossby waves can generate upper-level divergence. C. Rossby waves can generate upper-level convergence. D. Upper level divergence causes high pressure at the surface.
D
A Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC) is: A. a small group of air mass thunderstorms. B. usually a line of severe weather. C. totally disorganized and random in nature. D. a group of self-propagating thunderstorm cells that can last for hours.
D
Doppler radar: A. measures the sound waves emitted by thunderstorms. B. is used more extensively in Canada than in the United States. C. uses ultraviolet light. D. measures shifts in wavelengths of reflected electromagnetic radiation.
D
During a lightning event: A. a large quantity of electrons is transferred. B. there is typically only one stroke. C. the negative charge near the bottom of the cloud increases. D. the air around the conducting channel is heated to temperatures above 1000 K.
D
During cyclogenesis, cloud formation will be least intense here: A. at the center of the low-pressure area. B. along the boundary of the cold front. C. just outside the center of the low-pressure area. D. along the boundary of the warm front.
D
In a mature mid-latitude cyclone: A. the fronts have occluded. B. stratiform clouds are located near the cold front. C. overall movement of the storm continues west. D. clear skies exist between the warm front and the cold fron
D
In which stage of the air mass thunderstorm are there up and down drafts? A. initial B. middle C. dissipating D. mature E. cumulus
D
It is true that: A. the surface level and upper level of the troposphere are two distinct layers. B. the Bjerknes model of cyclogenesis gives the best explanation for the formation and life of mid-latitude cyclones. C. upper-level divergence has little impact on the surface. D. the temperature at the surface can affect air flow at upper levels of the atmosphere
D
Lightning can strike: A. below a thunderstorm cloud. B. out of the anvil of a thunderstorm cloud. C. from the side of the cloud. D. all of the above
D
Lightning is: A when warm and cold air collide. B. an indication of a high salt content in the air. C. an indication that the atmosphere is virtually dust free. D. a discharge of static electricity.
D
Mesoscale convective systems: A. are individual thunderstorms called supercells. B. do not last more than 12 to 24 hours. C. typically have low water-vapor content. D. require wind shear and substantial uplift.
D
Microbursts: A. are a type of updraft associated with severe thunderstorms. B. typically flow in only one direction. C. cause little damage at the surface. D. are a major potential hazard at airports.
D
Lightning that seems to occur without thunder is called: A. heat lightning. B. silent lightning. C. sheet lightning. D. northern lightning.
A
"Tornado Alley": A. stretches from the southern Plains to the lower Great Lakes. B. is the nickname for the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. C. is located in Florida. D. is a strip running from Kansas to western Pennsylvania.
A
2. As a cold front moves into a warm air mass: A. there is a substantial horizontal pressure gradient at heights of a kilometer or more above the surface of the two air masses. B. the cold front has a smaller vertical pressure gradient than does the warm air. C. the cold front slopes backward at a ratio of between 1:5 and 1:20. D. the warm air subsides and is overrun by the cold front.
A
7. Of the following steps in classical cyclogenesis of a mid-latitude cyclone, this happens last: A. occlusion occurs. B. a warm front forms. C. a cold front forms. D. a region of low pressure is established.
A
Air mass thunderstorms: A. extinguish themselves through the formation of extensive downdrafts. B. often last for several hours. C. are associated with severe weather. D. usually form at the borders of air masses.
A
Anticyclones: A. often bring calm weather. B. are not affected by upper-level conditions to the same degree as cyclones are. C. rarely remain in one place for more than a few hours. D. only appear in the Southern Hemisphere.
A
In the United States, thunderstorms are most common in: A. central Florida. B. Kansas. C. Oklahoma. D. Louisiana.
A
In the United States, tornadoes are most likely to occur in this month: A. May. B. July. C. August. D. October.
A
15. Hurricanes are typically ____ miles in width. A. 250 B. 350 C. 400 D. 500
B
Trade winds have the least influence on the movement of: A. tropical disturbances. B. tropical depressions. C. hurricanes. D. tropical storms.
C
5. Persistent drought is often associated with: A. a series of strong cyclones. B. persistent zonal patterns in upper-level air flows. C. the occurrence of moving meridional patterns in upper-level winds. D. the coast of British Columbia.
B
A shrinking hurricane eye generally means: A. a storm that is evolving into a tropical storm. B. an intensifying hurricane. C. high winds in the eye. D. decreasing levels of heavy rain.
B
After the development of cyclogenesis theory by the Norwegians, this was the next major development in the expanding knowledge of mid-latitude cyclones: A. the development of the theory of Rossby waves. B. the discovery of strong winds in the upper troposphere. C. the discovery that storm systems move. D. the development of the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamic
B
An upper level trough is an indication of ________ air while an upper level ridge is an indication of ________ air. A. rotating; still B. cold; warm C. warm; cold D. sinking; rising E. none of the above
B
Atlantic hurricanes: A. typically strengthen as they travel over land. B. can backtrack along a previously traveled path. C. usually end their lives while traveling southerly. D. follow a well-defined and narrow track through the Caribbean and east coast of North America.
B
Cloud-to cloud lightning makes up what % of all lightning? A. 10% B. 80% C. 25% D. 50%
B
Given the implications of the hydrostatic equation, we would expect that: A. pressure be independent of altitude. B. cold, dense air would have a greater vertical pressure gradient than would warm, light air. C. differences in temperature on either side of a cold front should not have any significant effect on upper-level pressure. D. differences in temperature on either side of a warm front should not have any significant effect on upper-level pressure.
B
Hurricane-generated tornadoes: A. are most common in the left-forward quadrant of the hurricane. B. are formed in part by the force of friction on the hurricane's winds. C. typically last longer than other types of tornadoes. D. cluster around the center of the hurricane.
B
In and during the occlusion process, the mid-latitude cyclone accomplishes its major purpose which is: A. to bring rain to the mid-western United States. B. to mix air of different temperatures. C. to cause a massive amount of damage through tornadoes. D. to usher in heat waves or cold air outbreaks.
B
In order to determine how far lightning is from your observation point: A. count the seconds from flash-to-bang and divide by ten. B. count the seconds from flash-to-bang and divide by five to get miles. C. listen to your AM radio and count the seconds from loud static to hearing the thunder and divide by ten. D. count the seconds from flash-to-bang and divide by three.
B
Severe thunderstorms: A. have, by definition, windspeeds in excess of 90 miles per hour. B. often appear in groups. C. typically take place on the microscale. D. rarely last more than an hour.
B
Supercell storms: A. are not readily visible on Doppler radar. B. account for a majority of tornadoes. C. do not exhibit any rotational aspects. D. are larger than mesoscale convective complexes.
B
Temperature advection: A. is not a significant factor in the upper atmosphere. B. is often detected through examination of the orientation of height contours and isotherms. C. refers to the vertical movement of warm air. D. always occurs simultaneously with temperature conductio
B
The fair-weather electric field: A. results in only a small voltage difference between the ionosphere and the surface. B. is maintained in large part through lightning. C. distributes much electricity to the ground because air is a good conductor. D. has its negative portion in the ionosphere.
B
The induction explanation for lightning: A. is criticized by some scientists for not allowing enough time for the transfer of charge from ice crystals to hailstones. B. assumes that the upper atmosphere has a positive charge. C. assumes the transfer of electrons from ice pellets to ice crystals. D. is criticized by some scientists for not taking into account that the electrical field is too strong.
B
The primary over-riding requirement for hurricane development is: A. warm land. B. water that is at least 27°C (81°F). C. t he presence of the ITCZ. D. the presence of an easterly wave. E. none of the above
B
The second-least intense type of tropical weather disturbance is the: A. hurricane. B. tropical depression. C. tropical storm. D. tropical disturbance.
B
The warm front associated with a mid-latitude cyclone: A. causes a shorter duration of precipitation than does the cold front. B. typically forms stratiform clouds. C. is most likely to have intense episodes of precipitation. D. often breaks off from the low-pressure area and heads south.
B
There is little temperature difference across the base of a hurricane because: A. hurricanes are cold-core cyclones. B. air expands adiabatically as it flows inward. C. the warm ocean below releases large amounts of sensible heat. D. the rapid mixing of air from the storm's high winds create a uniform temperature throughout the hurricane.
B
This region of the United States has the lowest average number of tornadoes: A. Midwest. B. West. C. Southeast. D. Northeast.
B
Tornadoes: A. are fairly well understood by scientists. B. are most intense when spawned from supercells. C. do not occur in association with squall lines. D. do not occur in association with tropical cyclones.
B
Tropical storms in the East Pacific: A. eventually pass over Hawaii. B. generally move westward. C. miss Mexico. D. are the typhoons that hit Asia.
B
Upper-level convergence: A. has no effect on convergence at any level. B. is primarily an effect in the horizontal dimension. C. does not result in pressure changes. D. is not a response to pressure gradients.
B
Vilhelm Bjerknes: A. helped discredit the Norwegian cyclone model. B. founded the Norwegian Geophysical Institute. C. developed the polar front theory in order to explain the occurrence of hurricanes. D. was a tragic victim of the fighting in World War I.
B
Who was the first individual to figure out that storms in the mid-latitudes probably moved from place to place, and weren't stationary? A. Carl Rossby B. Benjamin Franklin C. William Bjerknes D. Jaco Bjerknes
B
4. Which of the following is vorticity relative to the Earth's surface? A. Earth vorticity. B. Absolute vorticity. C. Relative vorticity. D. Astronomical vorticity.
C
A "Rossby Wave" is also called a: A. short wave. B. transitory wave. C. long wave. D. meridional wave.
C
A mid-latitude cyclone reaches its mature stage when: A. the storm moves over water. B. the storm moves over cold air. C. the storm system undergoes occlusion. D. the warm sector reaches its maximum strength
C
A thunderstorm becomes severe because: A. inflow equals outflow. B. outflow equals inflow. C. the updraft and downdraft become quasi-steady state. D. entrainment enhances convection.
C
Charge separation: A. results in the top of the cloud having a negative charge. B. most often occurs in clouds that are not precipitating. C. results in lightning only if the cloud extends above the freezing level. D. is not explained by the thermoelectric effect.
C
Earth vorticity: A. is greatest at the Equator. B. does not affect absolute vorticity. C. is a function of latitude. D. is vorticity relative to the earth's surface.
C
For a mature mid-latitude cyclone, precipitation is least likely at this point: A. near the center of the low-pressure center. B. just outside the low-pressure center. C. the eastern edge of the cyclone. D. near the cold front just below the low-pressure center
C
Hurricanes: A. typically have a sea level pressure change of around 150 mb. B. have an average diameter of around 200 kilometers. C. have sustained wind speeds above 100 kilometers per hour. D. often last for two or more weeks.
C
In the conveyor belt model, this belt enters the storm flowing westward toward the surface cyclone: A. dry conveyor belt. B. wet conveyor belt. C. cold conveyor belt. D. warm conveyor belt.
C
Mesocyclones: A. are formed at the same time as the actual tornado. B. do not form in association with supercells. C. intensify when the area of rotation decreases. D. do not require the presence of vertical wind shears.
C
Squall line thunderstorms A. can have lengths of up to 100 kilometers. B. are most common in late winter. C. have downdrafts that create a gust front. D. usually consist of five or fewer cells.
C
The forming of a Mid-latitude Cyclone is called: A. Frontolysis. B. Frontogenesis. C. Cyclogenesis. D. Mid-latitude bombs. E. Generation.
C
The most important condition for the formation of a hurricane is: A. the strength of the Coriolis force. B. distance from the equator. C. a deep surface layer of warm ocean water. D. stable conditions in the upper portion of the troposphere.
C
The only requirement for a thunderstorm is: A. sinking air. B. still air. C. rising air. D. upper level convergence.
C
The stepped-leader: A. moves downward in one continuous movement. B. occurs after the formation of the return stroke. C. creates the pathway for the flow of electrons. D. has no similarities to a dart leader.
C
The trade wind inversion: A. is highest along the eastern margins of ocean B. is unrelated to the height of the marine layer. C. promotes greater vertical cloud growth farther to the west. D. allows more convection as it decreases in height.
C
This country has more tornadoes than any other: A. Australia. B. China. C. United States. D. Canada..
C
This region has the highest average number of hurricanes per year: A. Atlantic. B. Eastern Pacific. C. Western Pacific. D. Northwest Indian Ocean.
C
Tornadoes: A. always rotate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. B. are associated primarily with synoptic-scale cyclones. C. are associated with cumulonimbus clouds. D. are rare outside the United States and southern Canada.
C
Sheet lightning: A. does not require a separation of charge. B. is visible as sharp streaks of lightning arcing through the sky. C. occurs when the electrical resistance in the air overcomes the voltage gradient within a cloud or between clouds. D. accounts for the majority of all lightning events.
D
The conveyor belt model: A. looks at cyclones in two dimensions. B. has less explanatory power than does the cyclogenesis model. C. does not account for the comma-shaped cloud pattern often associated with cyclones. D. focuses on three major flows of air.
D
The difference between "mid-latitude" cyclones and "tropical" cyclones is that: A. tropical cyclones can only form over water. B. mid-latitude cyclones can only form over land. C. tropical cyclones occur only during the Northern Hemisphere summer. D. tropical cyclones have only warm air while mid-latitude cyclones have three kinds of air.
D
The hydrostatic equation is a relationship between: A. temperature, pressure, and density. B. temperature, pressure, and height. C. temperature, density, height, and pressure. D. height, density, and pressure. E. density, water vapor, pressure, and height.
D
The passage of a mid-latitude cyclone over Saint Louis would probably begin with this: A. cold air and intense precipitation. B. relatively cold and sunny conditions. C. relatively warm and sunny conditions. D. deepening cloud cover with possible light rain showers.
D
The pressure difference within a tornado can be as high as: A. 15 mb. B. 30mb. C. 45 mb. D. 100 mb
D
Thunder: A. moves at the speed of light. B. always appears to the listener as a sharp clap. C. is the cause of heat lightning. D. results from the explosive expansion of air.
D
Upper level divergence coupled with lower level convergence: A. are the ingredients needed for strong storm systems. B. cause strong upward vertical motions. C. have a destabilizing effect on the atmosphere. D. all of the above.
D
Waterspouts: A. are typically larger than tornadoes. B. usually form over land and then move over water. C. form when a tornado sucks water from the ocean or lake. D. form in conjunction with cumulus congestus clouds.
D
Zonal patterns: A. feed the formation of intense cyclones. B. feed the formation of intense anticyclones. C. create substantial regions of heavy weather. D. show little north-south displacement between contour lines on a 500 mb map
D
