weather test

Stationary Front

when the boundary between two air masses stalls. Cloudy skies, light rain, precipitation

Which air mass contains cold, dry air?

Continental Polar

Compare a continental polar air mass with a maritime tropical air mass.

Continental Polar- Cold and dry air over land Maritime tropical- Hot, humid, moist weather that forms over water.

Occluded front

when a fast moving cold front catches up with a slow moving warm front. Brings precipitation

high pressure system pic

(H)

low pressure system pic

(L)

Arctic air masses

(cold and dry air) Forming over Siberia and Arctic. Contain bitterly, cold dry air. During winter, an arctic air mass can bring temperatures down to -40 degrees Celsius.

Continental Tropical air masses

(hot and dry) Because they form over the tropics in dry, desert land, these air masses are hot and dry. They bring clear skies and high temperatures. They usually form over the summer.

Maritime Tropical air masses

(hot and humid) Maritime Tropical air masses form over the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and eastern Pacific Ocean. These moist air masses bring hot, humid air to the Southeastern US during Summer. In winter they bring heavy snowfalls.

Air pressure

A force that a column of air applies on the air or a surface below it. The weight of column of air. Measured with a barometer in millibars

High-pressure system

A large body of circulating air with high pressure at its center and lower pressure outside of the system. Sinking air. Brings clear skies and fair weather.

Low-pressure system

A large body of circulating air with low pressure at its center and higher pressure outside the system. Air inside rises which then cools and the water vapor condenses forming clouds and sometimes precipitation.

Severe warning

A severe weather is present and safety measures must be taken immediately

Doppler Radar

A special type of radar that detects precipitation, the speed of which precipitation travels. As well as the movement of small particles, which can be used to approximate wind speed. It can also estimate wind speed.

Which contains the measurements of temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed and direction?

A surface report

Blizzard

A violent winter storm characterized by freezing temperatures, strong winds, and blowing snow.

Tornado

A violent, whirling column of air in contact with the ground.

Visible light satellite image

Shows white clouds over Earth. The white clouds indicate weather and the white places are either where it's hot or cold.

Assess why clouds usually form in the center of a low-pressure systems

Air rises and cools and condenses.

Assess the validity of this weather forecast: "Tomorrow's weather will be similar to today's weather."

Ait masses are so big that you can be in the same air mass for days. Doesn't always happen though.

Hurricane

An intense tropical storm with winds exceeding 119 km/h.

Explain why weather changes when a front moves through an area

As wind carries an air mass away from the area where it formed, the air mass eventually collides with another air mass.

Continetal Polar Air Mass

Because land cannot transfer as much moisture to the air as oceans can, air masses that form over land are drier than air masses that form over oceans. This air mass is fast-moving and brings cold temperatures in the winter and cool weathers in the summer.

Severe watch

Conditions COULD produce severe weather. The severe weather may happen

A surface report

Describes a set of weather measurements made on Earth's surface.

Upper-air report

Describes wind, temperature, and humidity conditions above Earth's surface. Measured by radiosonde.

Computer Models

Detailed computer programs that solve a set of mathematical formulas. The formulas predict what temperature and winds might occur.

Station model

Displays many different types of weather measurements. (the stick figure looking man). Indicates weather conditions at a specific location, using a combination of symbols on a map

Maritime polar air mass

Forming over the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, these air masses are cold and humid. They often bring cloudy, rainy weather

Warm front

Forms when less dense, warmer air moves towards colder, denser air. The warm air rises as it glides above the cold air mass. The temperature is warmer and more humid. Also possibly several hours of rain.

Clouds form when water changes from

Gas to liquid

Which sinking air situation usually brings fair weather?

High-pressure system

Which is an intense tropical storm with winds exceeding 119 km/hr?

Hurricane

Predict how maritime air masses would change if the ocean froze.

It would not be as humid and moist because it's not forming over water.

Air masses

Large bodies of air that have a uniform temperature, humidity, and pressure.

Isobars

Lines that connect all places on a map where pressure has the same value.

Explain how precipitation is a part of the water cycle

Precipitation drops the water droplets stored in the clouds, moving the water to another place. (snow, hail, sleet, rain)

Infrared image

Shows infrared energy in false color. The energy comes from Earth and is stored in the atmosphere as thermal energy. Also, the infrared energy provides info about cloud height and atmospheric temperatures.

Compare and contrast surface weather reports and upper air reports. Why is it important for meteorologists to monitor weather variables high above Earth's surface?

Surface weather reports measure weather ON Earth's surface. Upper air reports measure weather and describes conditions ABOVE Earth's surface. They both measure the weather and describe the weather on Earth. It is important for meteorologists to monitor weather variables high above because they need to check the air pressure and for the safety of planes. Also, the temperature might be different.

Explain how thunderstorms form

The air cools as it rises. Water vapor condenses and forms cumulus clouds controlled by updrafts which is when air currents move vertically away from the ground. Downdrafts then begin to appear (move toward ground). Millions of tiny ice crystals rise and sink. When condensation occurs, heat (latent heat/energy ) is released and helps the thunderstorm grow. At some point, condensation high in the cloud (now in the form of water droplets and ice) falls to the ground as rain.

air temperature

The amount of energy of particles of air. Degrees C or F. The measure of average kinetic energy of molecules in the air. When the temperature is high, molecules have a high kinetic energy and move faster in warm air. How hot or warm the air is.

humidity

The amount of water vapor in the air. Measured by a hygrometer Grams of water per cubic meter of air

Relative humidity

The amount of water vapor present in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can contain at that temperature. Given as a percentage

Weather

The atmospheric conditions, along with short-term changes, of a certain place at a certain time.

weather

The atmospheric conditions, along with short-term changes, of a certain place at a certain time.

water cycle

The series of natural processes by which water continually moves among oceans, land, and the atmosphere.

What does doppler radar measure?

The speed of which precipitation travels

Dew point

The temperature at which air is saturated and condensation can occur. The atmospheric temperature (varying according to pressure and humidity) below which water droplets begin to condense and dew can form.

Suppose you are on a ship near the equator in the Atlantic ocean. You notice that the barometric pressure is dropping. Predict what type of weather you might experience next.

The weather you might experience next will not be good. It will probably be windy and rainy. There is going to be some kind of precipitation. (def not snow because you're near the equator.)

Stratus clouds

These clouds are flat, white, and layered. They have an altitude to about 2000 m up. (the lowest clouds).

Cumulus clouds

These clouds are fluffy, heaped, and piled up. They look like white, fluffy, and thick cotton candy. 2,000 to 6,000 m altitude.

Cirrus clouds

These clouds are wispy and very thin. They form above 6,000 m.

Compare and contrast the different cloud types

They are all clouds, all formed by water droplets or ice crystals and they look different but they are found at different altitudes.

Precipitation

Water, in liquid or solid form that falls from the atmosphere.. Millimeters Inches Rain gauge

front

a boundary between two air masses.

Thunderstorms

a storm that produces lightening and thunder and often heavy rains and strong winds Has warm temperatures, moisture, and rising air, which is supplied by a low-pressure system.

What causes weather to remain the same several days in a row

air masses

Explain what happens to air as it increases in altitude

air pressure decreases

What causes air to reach its dew point

dropping temperatures

Cold front

forms when cold air moves under warm air which is less dense and pushes air up. The warm air rises and cools. Water vapor condenses and clouds form. (produces severe storms, thunderstorms heavy rain or snow) Temperatures are very low (10 degrees C)

Which type of precipitation reaches Earth's surface as large pellets of ice?

hail

What measures humidity

hygrometer

Isotherms

lines that connect places with the same temperature.

Barometer

measures air pressure

anemometer

measures wind speed mph

What best expresses moisture saturation

relative humidity

Which type of precipitation reaches Earth's surface as small pellets of ice?

sleet

What provides energy for the water cycle

sun

Which measures the average kinetic energy of air molecules

temperature

cloud coverage

the amount of the sky that has clouds covering it expressed in a percentage

What measures air temperature

thermometer

When isobars are close together on a weather map...

wind will be strong