Meteorology - Test 1

What are the charactoristics of stratiform clouds?

"Stratus" is Latin for "layer" or "blanket," consists of a featureless lower layer that can cover sky, often produces widespread IFR weather, little or no turbulence, but can produce icing

Low-level wind shear (LLWS) is a change in wind speed of _______ knots or more within ______-feet AGL.

10; 2,000

What is the value of sea level pressure in the standard atmosphere?

29.92 inches of mercury

What NWS entity provides consultation, forecast, and advice to Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs) regarding weather impacts?

?

Which effect occurs to airplanes on departure during a high density altitude condition?

A slower rate of climb

Water vapor, lift, and unstable air are necessary for the formation of __________.

A thunder storm cell

What type of air mass produces stable air that is associated with smooth air, poor visibility, and stratiform clouds?

A warm air mass moving over a cold surface

Which front is associated with poor visibility, smooth air, and steady precipitation?

A warm front

What are the three temperature properties of an air mass?

Artic (A), Polar (P), and Tropical (T)

What National Weather Service office provides meteorological forecasts and advise to ARTCC's and other FAA facilities regarding weather impact on their missions?

Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU)

What are the two moisure properties of an air mass?

Continetal (c), and Maritime (m)

What type of clouds look like fluffy cotton balls or heaps, indicate upward vertical motion or thermal uplift of air, and can produce severe turbulence, icing, and other hazards?

Cumuliform

An area as large as 10 miles or more of strong winds reaching speeds as high as 120 knots, on or near the ground, is a _________.

Downburst

During what type of turbulence is the aircraft violently tossed about and practically impossible to control?

Extreme

What is NOT true regarding fog?

Fog forms slowly, allowing pilots to avoid the hazard

_______ is a boundary or transition zone between two air masses of different density, and thus, (usually) of different temperature.

Front

What are the charactoristics of cirriform clouds?

High-level clouds which form above 20,000 ft, usually composed of ice crystal but contain no significant icing

What type of precipitation occurs when there is a shallow layer aloft with above freezing temperatures, with a deep layer of below freezing temperatures based at the surface?

Ice pellets

What is a characteristic of a temperature inversion?

Increased temperature with increased altitude

Relatively strong winds concentrated within a narrow, horizontal band in the upper troposphere is called a _________.

Jet Stream

Which type of aircraft will perform better in adverse wind conditions, due to its higher takeoff and approach speeds?

Larger airplanes

What type of turbulence momentarily causes slight erratic changes in altitude and/or attitude (pitch, roll, yaw)?

Light

What are the 4 turbulence intensity classifications?

Light, Moderate, Severe, and Extreme

What type of turbulence is caused by any obstruction to the wind, such as buildings or mountains?

Mechanical turbulence

What are the charactoristics of nimboform clouds?

Nimbus comes from the Latin word meaning "rain," tytpically forms between 7,000-15,000 ft, brings steady precipitation, can pose a serious icing problem

The two jest streams commonly identified are the _________ and the _________.

Polar jet stream, Subtropical jet stream

Which precipitation types most commonly produce instrument weather?

Rain, drizzle, and snow

The ratio of water vapor in the air compared to the amount of water vapor the air can hold at a particular temperature and pressure is the definition of __________.

Relative humidity

What are the charactoristics of cumuliform clouds?

Resembles white fluffy cotton balls or heaps, indicates rising air currents and may produce icing, turbulence, and other hazards.

What are the three types of structural icing?

Rime, Clear, and Mixed

Which of the following clouds would provide visual proof that a mountain wave exists?

Rotor cloud

What type of turbulence causes occupants to be forced violently against seat belts or shoulder straps, unsecured objects to be tossed about, and makes food service and walking impossible?

Severe

When de-icing or anti-icing equipment fails to reduce or control the icing hazard, the icing is categorized as _________.

Severe

Which airplane type would be most at risk from a 25-knot crosswind on landing?

Small, general aviation, single propeller

A warm air mass moving over a cold surface often produces stable air associated with:

Smooth air, poor visibility, stratiform clouds, fog, and drizzle.

Which cloud form often produces widespread IFR weather?

Stratiform

What are the four cloud forms?

Stratiform, Cumuliform, Nimboform, and Cirriform

Within which layer of the atmosphere does temperature increase with altitude, making it a stable layer, generally devoid of significant weather?

Stratosphere

Which stage of a thunderstorm is characterized by updrafts exceeding 3,000 feet per minute?

Towering cumulus

What are the 4 icing intensity classifications?

Trace, Light, Moderate, Severe

The transition boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere is called the ________.

Tropopause

Which layer of the atmosphere contains almost all clouds and precipitation?

Troposphere

Virtually all aircraft fly in which two layers of the atmosphere?

Troposphere and Stratosphere

What are the 5 layers of the Earth's atmosphere?

Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, and Exosphere

Cold air mass moving over a warm surface often produces unstable air associated with:

Turbulence, good visibility (outside of clouds), and cumuliform clouds and showers.

What is the raw material for clouds and precipitation?

Water vapor

Which gas constitutes only a small percentage of the earth's atmosphere and varies widely in both time and space, ranging from trace amounts to 4 percent by volume?

Water vapor

Standard atmosphere is NOT used for _________.

Weather observations

What generates turbulence between two wind currents of differing wind directions and/or speeds?

Wind shear

Precipitation formation requires water vapor, lift, and ________.

a growth process

Most aircraft accidents related to instrument weather involve pilots who ________.

are not instrument rated

Light turboprop aircraft are more susceptible to icing than commercial jet aircraft because they typically fly ____________.

at lower altitudes

When an airplane is taking off into a headwind, gusts may cause it to

bounce on the runway

Air flow around a high diverges in a ________ motion and _______, causing the air to compress and warm, which tends to dissipate clouds.

clockwise, sinks

What type of front has a steep slope which often leads to a narrow band of showers and thunderstorms if the rising air is unstable?

cold front

A ________ air mass moving over a ________ surface often produces unstable air associated with turbulence, good visibility, cumuliform clouds, and showers.

cold, warm

When the air is too dry for cumuliform clouds to form, _______ currents called thermals can still be active and cause turbulence.

convective

Air flow around a low ________ in a counterclockwise motion and ________, causing the air to cool and eventually condense into clouds and precipitation.

converges, rises

Which adverse effect of structural icing is LEAST significant to an aircraft?

increased weight

With ________ ice, the rate of accumulation may create a problem if flight is prolonged (over 1 hour). Occasional use of deicing/anti-icing equipment removes/ prevents accumulation.

light

Aircraft icing potential is NOT dependent upon ________.

pilot rating

A sudden wind shift, even at low speeds, can be hazardous on takeoff and landing because it can __________.

quickly become a crosswind or tailwind

A variable wind can be hazardous on takeoff and landing because it could _______.

quickly become a crosswind or tailwind

High density altitude ________ an aircraft's power and thrust.

reduces

Although ________ is the most common type of icing, it is the least serious because it is relatively ineffective in disturbing the airflow and it is easier to remove.

rime

A parcel of ________ air expands and cools as pressure decreases with height.

rising

When the ______ is greater than zero, the air is unsaturated.

temperature-dew point spread

When the ________ decreases to zero, the air becomes ________, and condensation will form dew, fog, or clouds.

temperature-dew point spread, saturated

Airplane performance gradually degrades as the wind ________.

turns perpendicular to the runway

An air parcel that has the capacity to hold more water vapor is _________.

unsaturated

Severe damage can occur if ________ is ingested into an engine.

volcanic ash

Which front moves in such a way that warmer air replaces colder air?

warm front

A Maritime Tropical (mT) air mass is ________ and ________.

warm, moist

A sinking parcel of air compresses and ________ as it encounters increasing pressure; this causes a cloud to quickly _________.

warms, dissipate

The jetstreams flow from ______ to ______.

west, east