Weather and climate Exam 3

38)Doppler radar helps the meteorologist to: A)hear storm noises much more clearly. B)infer the movement of air within a storm. C)see through hills and mountains. D)interrogate much larger sectors of the atmosphere than was possible with conventional radar. E)none of the above

B.) infer the movement of air within a storm

55)A hurricane's greatest threat to life and property along coasts comes from: A)heavy rain. B)storm surge. C)high winds. D)tornadoes spawned by the hurricane

B.) storm surge

40)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.) account for a majority of tornados

33)Lightning: A)never strikes twice at the same place. B)strikes any where conductivity can be established. C)never strikes water. D)always strikes cedar trees. E)none of the above

B.) strikes any where conductivity can be established

29) The development of a Mid-latitude Cyclone is called: A) Frontolysis. B) Frontogenesis. C) Cyclogenesis. D) Mid-latitude bombs.

C) Cyclogenesis

20)Between a cold front and a warm front, we find: A) A cold air mass. B) A dry air mass. C) A warm, moist, and unstable air mass. D) A very stable air mass.

C.) A warm, moist, and unstable air mass

9) mP air masses: A) Are colder than cP masses. B) Are drier than cP masses. C) Can produce northeasters on the Atlantic Coast of North America. D) Rarely affect North America.

C.) Can produce northeasters on the Atlantic Coast of North America

8) In North America, mT masses from the Gulf of Mexico are most likely to travel: A) East B) Southwest C) North D) South

C.) North

5) Air-mass source regions: A.) Are most common at mid-latitudes. B.) Are typically on the order of a thousand square kilometers in size. C.) Typically require many days to form an air mass. D.) Exist in winter, but not in summer.

C.) Typically require many days to form an air mass

43)This country has more tornadoes than any other: A)Australia. B)China. C)United States D) Canada

C.) United States

30) Which of the following are associated with the formation and intensification of surface midlatitude cyclones? A) Upper-level convergence and lower-level convergence B) Upper-level convergence and lower-level divergence C) Upper-level divergence and lower-level convergence D)upper-level divergence and lower-level divergence

C.) Upper- level divergence and lower level convergence

39)The cumulus stage of air-mass thunderstorm development: A)is marked by strong updrafts throughout the cloud. B)is when much of the storm's precipitation occurs. C)begins when unstable air begins to rise. D)occurs before the Bergeron process starts

C.) begins when unstable air begins to rise

48)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 120 kilometers per hour. D)often last for two or more weeks

C.) have sustained wind speeds above 120 kilometers per hour

35)Which portion of the lightning process is the most visible? A)charge separation B)stepped leader C)return stroke D)dart leader

C.) return stroke

47)This is the first observable step in the development of a supercell tornado: A)increased wind speed. B)formation of a wall cloud. C)slow horizontal rotation of a large part of the cloud. D)formation of a funnel.

C.) slow horizontal rotation of a large part of the cloud

27)A(n) ________ front always slopes back over itself

Cold

23)________ air masses are colder than continental polar air masses.

Continental Artic

22) Air masses that form over northern Siberia are most likely to be ________ air masses.

Continental Polar

64) Give two reasons why lightning kills fewer people now than in the past.

we have a better knowledge of it the invention of weather radar which alerts individuals when storms are approaching to get to safety and take necessary measures.

60)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. North

12)vAn "air mass" is a large body of air that has similar horizontal characteristics of: A) Moisture and temperature. B) Temperature and density. C) Density and pollen. D)Moisture and winds. E) None of the above

A.) Moisture and Temperature

19)Warm fronts: A) Often overrun a cold front. B) Often create violent and intense storms that can cause great damage. C) Mix easily with cold air. D) Have steeper slopes than cold fronts

A.) Often overrun a cold front

46)What state has the highest tornado density? A)Oklahoma B)Texas C)Kansas D)Missouri

A.) Oklahoma

3.)Air masses are generally named according to: A.) The characteristics of their source regions. B.) The season of the year they form in. C.) The precipitation they produce. D.) All of the above

A.) The characteristics of their source regions

14)The boundary between a warm air mass moving into a cold air mass is called a(n): A) Warm front. B) Cold front. C) Stationary front. D) Occluded front.

A.) Warm front

49)The eye of a hurricane has all of the following characteristics, except: A)an average passage time of 5-10 minutes. B)light winds. C)descending air. D)relatively clear skies.

A.) average passage time of 5-10 minutes

6)An air mass that formed over northern Canada would most likely be designated: A.) cP B.) mP C.) cT D.) mA

A.) cP

37)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.) cumulus, mature. dissipating

45)The worst place to be during a tornado is: A)in a trailer home. B)in a bomb shelter. C)in a brick house. D)in the basement of a school

A.) in a trailer home

56)How many Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S. between 1900 and 2005? A)2 B)3 C)5 D)10

B.) 3

50)Hurricanes generally need water temperatures of what value to form? A)75 degrees F B)81 degrees F C)86 degrees F D)90 degrees F

B.) 81 degrees

42)A common Doppler radar signature associated with a supercell tornado is the A)gust front. B)hook. C)shelf cloud. D)roll cloud.

B.) Hook

18)Cold fronts: A) Move at an average speed of about 60 miles per hour. B) Often create cumuliform clouds when they meet warm fronts. C) Usually rise above warm fronts. D) Have surface slopes of about 1:5.

B.) Often create cumuliform cloud when they meet warm fronts

11)This region of the United States is most greatly affected by mT air masses: A) Northeast. B) Southeast. C) Midwest. D) Northwest.

B.) South East

13) A cP air mass moves southward from Chicago to New Orleans. Which of the following is most likely to occur? A) The air mass would become drier. B) The air mass would moderate. C) The sea level pressure would rise. D) The wind would blow from the south

B.) The air mass would moderate?

51)The tropical disturbances that affect the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and the Americas, mostly form over A)the Gulf of Mexico. B)western Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. C)the Caribbean Sea. D)the western Atlantic Ocean.

B.) western Africa, south of the Sahara Desert

31)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) Tropical cyclones have only warm air while mid-latitude cyclones have three kinds of air

36)Which of these can be characteristics of severe thunderstorms? A)wind speeds in excess of 58 mph B)hailstones one inch or larger in diameter C)tornadoes D)all of the above

D.) All of the above

1.) Continental polar air-mass regions are typically: A.) Warm B.) Free of snow in the winter C.) Cloudy D.) Dry

D.) Dry

17)The ________ is a boundary that forms mainly in the southern Plains and produces severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. A) Squall line B) Pressure jump line C) Gravity wave line D) Dry line

D.) Dry line

16)There are ________ primary types of fronts. A) One B) Two C) Three D) Four E) Five

D.) Four -cold front -warm front -occluded front -stationary front

15) The boundary between two air masses is called a(n): A) Dividing line. B) Squall line. C) Instability line. D) Front. E) None of the above

D.) Front

10) Northeasters: A) Are associated with anticyclones. B) Are associated with warm winds. C) Are rarest in winter and early spring. D) Often bring heavy snowfall.

D.) Often bring heavy snow fall

7) In North America, cP masses are most likely to travel: A.) East B.) West C.) North D.) South.

D.) South

34)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.) a discharge of static electricity

41)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.) a group of self-propagating thunderstorm cells that can last for hours

32) 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.) all of the above

53)Hurricane paths (tracks): A)are highly smooth and stable. B)are easily predictable. C)always move to the northwest. D)can be highly erratic

D.) can be highly erratic

54)Storm surge: A)increases as the hurricane's pressure increases. B)is least dangerous in bays and inlets. C)paradoxically does more damage a kilometer inland than on the coast itself. D)is increased by the drag of high winds on surface waters.

D.) is increased by the drag of high winds on surface waters

52)Hurricanes lose strength when they: A)move over cooler water. B)move over warmer water. C)move over land. D)only A and C E)only B and C

D.) only A and C

2.) The _______ air mass forms off the Mexican High Plateau and impacts the southwestern oar of the United State. A.) Marine Tropical B.) Maritime Polar C.) Artic D.) Continental Polar E.) Continental Tropical

E.) Continental Tropical

57)Hurricanes often gain strength after landfall. T/F

False

58)Hurricanes follow orderly and predictable paths. T/F

False

24)This type of air mass is responsible for much of the precipitation along the coast of western North America: ________.

Maritime Polar

26)________ refers to warm air at the surface being cut off by the meeting of two cold fronts.

Occlusion

25)This type of front moves very slowly, if at all: ________ front.

Stationary

21)Drylines can cause severe weather.T/F

True

59)The United States coastline is more vulnerable now than ever before to a devastating hurricane strike. T/F

True

28)A(n) ________ front can often overrun the air mass ahead

Warm

(67) Discuss the role of dropsondes in hurricane forecasting.

aircrafts drop these packages containing temp, pressure, and mositure sensors into the hurricane. helps track it and intensity.

63) Give two lightning safety rules.

always take cover preferably in a building and do not stand under a tree or tall objects that might serve as a lighting rod and attract the lighting

44)This region of the United States has the lowest average number of tornadoes: A)Midwest. B)West. C)Southeast. D)Northeast.

b.) West

List and discuss the threats a hurricane brings as it makes landfall and then moves inland

strong winds, heavy rain, storm surge

61) List two main characteristics of air mass source regions.

tempature and humidity

(68) Why is the United States coastline more vulnerable to hurricanes than in the past?

there are higher populations living along the coastlines as well as more built structues and buildings along the coastlines which increases the number of fatalities and destruction. should not be builiding on natural barriers and hurricanes ruin them.

65) Explain the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.

torando watch: the conditions are particulary favourable for the development of a toranado in and around the atch area during next few hours, weather aware, pay attnention Toranado warning: a tornado has either been seen or have signs on radar that a torando could be forming. safety plan must be put into action and seek shelter.

62) Describe the process meteorologists use to locate fronts.

use a subjective process that involves looking for differnces in temp, pressure, and wind, as well as bonds of precipitation and clouds that may outline the position of the front