Geography: Test 2
The unsaturated adiabatic lapse rate is _____ C°/km.
10
Where would you find an E-type climate?
C and D
Where would you find an A-type climate?
H and E
Urban heat islands result from urbanization that includes ______.
a lot of dark-colored surfaces
Urbanization
can raise or lower relative humidity.
A tropical cyclone will be weakened by
making landfall.
E air masses are
moist and warm.
Drought can be caused by all the following except
persistent low pressure.
Specific humidity varies more over __________ because of __________.
the land; topography
The _____ adiabatic lapse rate is a constant 10 C°/km.
unsaturated
What is the range of average temperatures in the deep ocean?
-1ºC and 4ºC
All weather-forecasting models are based on only ______ equations.
7
What is the large-scale pattern of SST in the world's oceans?
SST generally decrease from low latitudes to high latitudes.
The U.S. ______ receives the most summer precipitation.
Southeast
Which of these areas has the biggest net loss of water due to excess evaporation?
Southeastern Atlantic
As a result of the Coriolis effect deflecting moving air to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, tropical cyclones rotate ______.
clockwise
Why do water molecules have a polarity?
The two hydrogen atoms with a positive charge align on one side of the molecule, leaving a negative charge on the oxygen atom on the other side.
In addition to the amount of insolation received, what other factors influence patterns of SST in the ocean?
The upwelling of cold water Adjacent landmasses Ocean currents
Specific humidity will only change if ______ ______ is added or subtracted through the processes of evaporation or condensation.
Water Vapor
General circulation models (GCMs) are used to model and analyze ______.
atmospheric conditions
Anticyclones result from air descending from the upper level, which stabilizes the atmosphere and brings ______ weather.
fair
True or false: Global warming results in an increase in temperatures in every region on Earth.
false
Ground-level clouds are called?
fog
The warm pool of water in the tropical western Pacific ______.
is pushed there by the trade winds
Intense snow events called ______ -effect snows are the result of cold air masses moving over the relatively warm Great Lakes.
lake
A ______ dew-point depression indicates dry air.
large
Winds blowing across the surface of the ocean cause stress on the water. This stress causes motion in each successively deeper layer of water, but at some depth this stress vanishes. This point in called the ______ point.
null
Climate patterns are least complex over ______.
oceans
The _____ front jet stream is an area of high-speed winds running from west to east along the lower latitude edge of the polar cell.
polar
How do SST patterns in the Atlantic change from July to January? The warmest SST shift to the ______.
south
The polar jet stream moves to the ______ during a negative NAO and brings ______ than normal conditions to southern Europe and northern Africa.
south; wetter
Weather balloons travel vertically into the atmosphere reporting data on air _____ , pressure, humidity, and ______ direction and speed.
temperature; wind
Global warming predicts that most areas on the planet will get ______, whereas some other regions might get ______.
warmer; cooler
Anticyclones are associated with
weak pressure gradients, atmospheric stability, high pressure, and fair weather.
The atmospheric circulation across the Indian Ocean is called the Indian Ocean Dipole. Select the best description of that circulation below.
The air rises on the eastern side of the ocean, flows west, and descends over the western equatorial Indian Ocean before returning east.
Select the factors listed below that explain the latitudinal variations in salinity, temperature, and density of seawater.
The amount of precipitation The amount of insolation The direction air masses are moving
What are the different ways in which a moving water drop in a cloud interacts with the surrounding water droplets?
The droplets merge with the drop. The drop breaks apart and becomes droplets. The droplets slide past the drop.
Which of the following statements accurately describe part of the surface water circulation in the northern Atlantic Ocean?
The warm Gulf Stream flows in a northernly direction along the East Coast of the U.S. The cool Canary current flows south along the northwest coast of Africa.
Which situation would cause a negative feedback cycle to begin from excess water evaporating from warmer oceans?
The water vapor produces low-level clouds that reflect insolation.
Which region below is an oceanic warm pool?
The waters between China and Australia near Southeast Asia
Select the correct description of surface water circulation patterns in the southeastern Pacific Ocean.
There is a large counterclockwise-flowing gyre.
What is the pattern of surface water circulation in the southern Atlantic Ocean?
There is a large, counterclockwise-rotating gyre.
What is the intention behind injection a cloud with dry ice?
To cool the cloud and induce more deposition of vapor on ice
True or false: Earth has been much warmer and much colder than it is today.
True
True or false: Fog is just a low-level cloud.
True
True or false: The primary factor controlling global patterns of specific humidity is latitude.
True
True or false: The warm and cold phases of ENSO can displace the jet streams from their normal paths.
True
True or false: Urbanization can either increase or decrease the albedo of an area.
True
When large amounts of concrete and glass replace open space vegetation, what is the resulting effect called?
Urban heat island effect
The amount of atmospheric pressure contributed by the weight of water vapor in the atmosphere is known as ______ pressure.
Vapor
In the U.S., what is the primary source of air polluting nitrogen oxides?
Vehicle emissions
Which of the following describe the air over a cold ocean current?
Vertical motion of air is restricted. The atmosphere is stable.
The pattern of east-west equatorial atmospheric circulation caused by the rising air above warm pools is known as ______ cell circulation.
Walker
How do warm pools affect atmospheric circulation in areas outside of the Pacific?
Walker-like circulation patterns develop, but each is modified in size and intensity due to local conditions.
Identify conditions associated with the neutral phase of ENSO in the equatorial Pacific.
Warm air rises over the western equatorial Pacific warm pool, producing low pressure and abundant rain. Westward displacement of surface waters drives upwelling of cold, deep water off the coast of western South America.
What two processes lead to peak precipitation in mid-latitude marine climates in October and December?
Warm oceans Distant subtropical highs
What is the overall water circulation pattern in the Arctic Ocean?
Warm surface waters flow into the Arctic Ocean via the North Atlantic Drift and out of the Arctic Ocean as cold water in other currents.
Mediterranean climates are located in the subtropics and receive abundant insolation that results in what kind of general temperatures?
Warm temperatures
What are the three surface-water temperature-determined phases of ENSO in the eastern equatorial Pacific?
Warm, neutral, and cold
What is El Niño?
Warmer surface waters from the west replacing the colder water off the west coast of South America
Which state would be the safest if you wanted to avoid death by lightning?
Washington
How do salinity and temperature vary with depth in the ocean?
Water temperatures generally decrease with increasing depth. Surface waters are generally the most saline, but a complex pattern is observed within the water column.
Choose the water that will sink rather than float.
Water with a temperature between 0°C and 4°C
What factors are used to classify clouds?
What altitude they exist at What their form is Whether they are related to precipitation
Tornadoes are most frequent during the ______.
afternoon
A front is the narrow zone between two different ______.
air masses
Globally, precipitation is highest ______ and lowest ______.
along the equator; at the poles
Cyclones are rotating zones of low pressure, whereas _____ are rotating zones of high pressure.
anticyclones
Haboobs
are associated with dust storms, usually created during the dying phase of a thunderstorm.
Water can travel upward (against gravity) through __________ action.
capillary
Where there are abrupt changes in elevation, climate patterns
change over short distances, especially over land.
Computer models used to analyze atmospheric conditions are called general _____ models.
circulation
Dew forms when air becomes _____ and can no longer hold the same amount of water vapor as it did previously.
colder
Strategies used in cloud seeding to induce precipitation in drought areas include _____ the clouds with dry ice or injecting tiny solid particles that act as _____ nuclei.
cooling; condensation
Any enclosed area of low atmospheric pressure is a ______.
cyclone
Mid-latitude ______ are formed when a colder air mass meets a warmer one at a stationary front.
cyclones
The arrival of a front is often accompanied by precipitation because the difference in _____ , caused by differences in temperature, between the two air masses causes the warmer one to rise, which then cools adiabatically and quickly reaches the dew point. (Use just one word for your answer.)
density
The hottest and most arid of the B-type arid climates is the BWh Hot _____ climate that extends over large areas of Africa, Australia, and the American Southwest.
desert
Measurement of air and sea-surface temperatures with thermometers and satellites provides us with ______ evidence of global warming.
direct
_____ radar is more precise than traditional weather-forecasting systems, such as weather balloons, giving information about mass and movement from individual storm clouds.
doppler
Valley fog is formed when ______.
downslope winds trap atmospheric moisture in valleys
The air descending a mountain it has just moved up and over will be warm and _____.
dry
Continental tropical (cT) air masses are characteristically ______.
dry hot
A rotating dust storm that is often overlooked as a hazardous weather phenomenon is a ______.
dust devil
Fog that forms when cold air encounters a warm lake does so due to ______.
evaporation
Free convection results from air rising due to unstable conditions, whereas _____ convection is air rising due to external factors
forced
Unstable air rises due to ______ convection whereas air forced to move because of external factors does so due to forced convection.
free
Thunderstorms are ______ due to the sharp contrast in temperatures of air masses in the southeastern United States.
frequent
Downdraft-related dust storms are called _____, derived from an Arabic word for "blasting."
haboobs
Which sequence best describes thunder formation?
heating, expansion, air filling the vacuum
Anticyclones are rotating zones of _____ pressure.
high
Drought conditions are caused due to areas of persistent _____ pressure and unusual changes in either _____ direction or ocean current strength or direction.
high; wind
The Clean Air Act of 1970 required that certain __________ be monitored and kept below threshold levels.
large trucks
How do warm pools form in the tropics? They form due to ______.
latent heat stored in the subtropics being released in rising air over the tropics
______ are winds that move downward and are brief, but strong, moving in straight lines and potentially resulting in significant damage.
microbursts
Air _____ is an assortment of gases, liquids, and solids introduced to the atmosphere by human activities and is considered harmful to living creatures and other aspects of ecosystems.
pollution
The Hot Steppe climate (BSh) typically
surrounds the Hot Desert climate (BWh).
The average temperature of deep ocean water ranges from 4°C to _____°C because the salinity decreases the freezing temperature.
-1
Abrupt natural climate changes can be detected in the data recovered from ice cores in Greenland and Antarctica. How "abrupt" are these natural climate shifts?
1,000 to 2,000 years
Assuming everything else is equal, rank the water masses with the following temperatures by their densities. (Place the temperature resulting in the lowest density at the top.)
1. 15ºC 2. 10ºC 3. 2ºC 4. 4ºC
Which of the following is a measure of specific humidity?
10 g/kg
Fog is produced when relative humidity is ______ and the air temperature is ______.
100%; at the dew point
Given the following relative humidities of different air masses, which has to cool the least in order to reach its dew point?
85%
Which of the following locations would be most prone to an advection fog?
A
Which of the following statements is true regarding Walker-like cells outside of the Pacific?
Although they are different sizes, they are all driven by the warm air rising above warm pools.
What is a drought?
An extended period of dry conditions in a region
What four elements make up the majority of air pollution gases (in compounds)?
Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen Hydrogen
The ______ is the center of a warm pool located in the western Atlantic.
Caribbean Sea
In addition to reduced levels of insolation, what processes lead to the formation of cold water at the poles?
Cold, dry air descends. Lack of clouds allows for more outgoing longwave radiation. Sea ice increases the average surface albedo, reducing the amount of energy absorbed from the Sun.
How does the general large-scale pattern of ocean currents affect average SST on the east and west sides of ocean basins?
Colder waters are pushed closer to the equator on the eastern sides of oceans. Warmer waters are pushed to high latitudes on the western sides of oceans.
What is the impact of continents and other landmasses on the east-west connections in oceans?
Continents cause ocean currents to turn north or south and results in upwelling along coasts.
Which climate type is located at the highest latitudes?
E
True or false: Dew-point temperatures are highest in the winter in the United States.
False
True or false: El Niño occurs on a strict recurrence interval every 9 years.
False
Which of the following is the correct order of layers that are encountered by a water drop as it falls through the atmosphere and forms into sleet or freezing rain?
Freezing, above freezing, freezing
The influence of the warm water in the ______ results in high dew-point temperatures in the southeastern United States in the summer that get progressively lower to the north and the west.
Gulf of Mexico
How does high albedo affect Polar climate temperatures?
High albedo reflects the majority of insolation, sending it back to space without raising the temperature.
Which of the following explain the high specific humidity of the atmosphere in the tropics?
High amount of evaporation Warm air
How can the Tropical Rain Forest climate (Af), located near the equator, be described?
Hot temperatures year-round with year-round precipitation
Where are the color bands made from SST the least complicated?
In the open ocean
Why is freezing rain even more dangerous than sleet?
It it perceived as less dangerous than it is, because it falls as rain. It adds significant weight to trees and power lines, causing them to fall.
How does urbanization affect local atmospheric stability?
Light-colored materials increase albedo. Dark-colored materials decrease albedo.
Mid-latitude climates in Group C that have an abundant supply of moisture and cool to warm summers with cold but not severe winters are Cfb and Cfc _____ West Coast climates.
Marine
______ decide which data and assumptions to put into a weather-forecasting model.
Meteorologists
______ design a model to answer a weather-related question at a specific time or place.
Meteorologists
______ anticyclones move around, in contrast to semipermanent anticyclones, which stay in the same general area.
Migrating
A-type, tropical climates receive varying amounts of precipitation to support their vegetation types. Af-Tropical Rain Forest climates receive rainfall all year; Am-Tropical _____ climates receive rain seasonally, and Aw-Tropical _____ climates receive rain half of the year.
Monsoon; Savanna
The Bermuda-Azores High and the Icelandic Low combine to form the ______.
North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)
Which of the following phrases correctly describe cirrus clouds?
Occur high in the troposphere Are wispy in appearance
Which parts of the United States are the most foggy?
Pacific Northwest Gulf Coast Great Lakes region New England
Select the statements below that accurately describe global patterns of SST.
Polar regions have the coldest SST. SST are highest at low latitudes and lowest at high latitudes.
The weather conditions represented in this image are those associated with a NAO index.
Positive
What is the name for the process by which water, ice, or some combination of water and ice falls from the sky?
Precipitation
Which of the following factors affect measurements of specific humidity?
Precipitation Evaporation
What type of fog is formed when precipitation falls through lower, colder air and evaporates, increasing the humidity and causing the cold air to reach its dew point?
Precipitation fog
Isobars are lines on maps that connect areas that have equal air ______.
Pressure
How are the changes in air pressure recorded in the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) between Darwin, Australia, and Tahiti correlated with air-pressure changes in other parts of the world?
Pressure changes in Darwin are positively correlated with air pressure changes in other parts of the world.
What are warm pools in the ocean?
Regions where surface water temperatures are higher than adjacent regions and that consistently form and tend to persist
_____ humidity is usually represented by a percentage and is the ratio of how much water vapor is in the air relative to the maximum amount of water vapor that air can hold.
Relative
Why are the warmest SST not always found along the equator?
Rising air along the equator forms clouds, and they reduce the amount of insolation received at the surface of the ocean.
Sir Gilbert Walker noticed that when air pressure went up in Darwin, Australia, it went down in Tahiti (in the central Pacific) and that when it went down in Darwin, it went up in Tahiti. This linked change in air pressures is called the ______.
Southern Oscillation
The ______ Index measures the change in relative air pressure by subtracting the air pressure at Darwin, Australia, from the air pressure at Tahiti.
Southern Oscillation
During which two seasons is fog most common in the United States?
Spring Winter
What kind of climates are designated as Group C climates using the Köppen climate classification system?
Temperate mid-latitude climates
Which of the global areas listed have a relatively high amount of annual precipitation?
The Amazon basin Indonesia
Which of the following currents delivers warm water to the Arctic Ocean?
The North Atlantic Drift
Increases in land and sea ______ due to global warming may affect atmosphere's stability.
temperatures
True or false: Sleet and freezing rain are two different names for the same phenomenon.
false
A(n) _____ is the way a system such as the atmosphere responds to changing conditions, such as those caused by climate change. The response either amplifies or dampens the changes to the system. (Use just one word for your answer.)
feedback
The Great Plains frequently have thunderstorms accompanied by ______.
hail
Lightning is a sudden and large discharge of ______ energy, which is generated naturally within the atmosphere.
electrical
The equator-to-pole decrease in the amount of _____ received is the main reason there is a general equator-to-pole decrease in SST.
energy
Ocean currents move warm water poleward. This happens because ______.
energy is moved from areas of energy excess to areas of energy deficit
What is the environmental lapse rate?
The temperature change with height undergone by air surrounding an adiabatically moving air parcel
Individual storms, such as hurricanes, may last longer and be more intense due to global warming as ______ will provide more moisture and energy for the storms.
higher SST (sea-surface temperatures)
Direct evidence of global warming through ocean and air temperatures have been collected for approximately 170 years using _____.
Thermometer
What aspect of the Great Lakes creates a steep environmental lapse rate in the overlying air in winter that leads to "lake effect snow?"
They are warmer than the overlying air.
Select the statement below that accurately compares the doldrums and the horse latitudes.
They both are areas with weak surface winds; the doldrums are at the equator, and the horse latitudes are at 30o.
Warmer sea and land temperatures with increased evaporation and release of latent heat due to a global warming period may affect atmospheric stability.
True
Mediterranean Csa and Csb climates owe their pleasant temperatures to ______.
receiving abundant insolation in the subtropics
Weather is defined by
the conditions in the atmosphere at some specific time and place.
Some pollutants in the atmosphere can react with sunlight, water, or additional contaminants to create _____ pollutants.
secondary
Identify ways in which the salinity of ocean waters can increase.
Formation of sea ice Evaporation
What are condensation nuclei?
Tiny particles around which water droplets in clouds form
In this image of a city, what factors are contributing to, or increasing, the urban heat island effect?
Concrete buildings Industrial waste heat Paved surfaces Storm drains
The Palmer Drought Index shown in this map quantifies the severity of _____ using soil moisture and climate data.
drought
A air masses are
dry and cold.
A haboob is a severe downdraft-related ______.
dust storm
A body of air with relatively uniform ______ is called an air mass.
moisture temperature
Lower summer temperatures in the western United States result in low dew-point temperatures that may become lower still due to the influence of ______ that change precipitation patterns.
mountains
The black arrow is pointing at the _____ point, where the wind no longer effects the movement of water
null
Tree rings, fossils, stalactites, ice cores, and tiny marine organisms are all types of ______ evidence we use to study past climate change.
proxy
The mass of water vapor in a body of air compared to the total mass of that air is the
specific humidity.
Tropical cyclones increase in strength over ______ waters.
warmer
What biological conditions tend to develop in warm pools?
Abundant and diverse life are found there, and extensive coral growth occurs.
Which areas of the United States receive more precipitation in the summer than they do in the winter?
Western states such as Wyoming and Colorado The Gulf Coast states
What type of winter occurs in the southern U.S. during El Niño conditions?
Wet and cool
What is the orographic effect?
When surface air encounters a mountain and flows upward
What affect does wind have on air pollution?
Wind moves air pollution from its original source.
Why do winds speeds generally increase away from the surface of the ocean?
Winds directly above the ocean are slowed as they transfer some of their energy of motion to the surface water.
How do winds cause motion in the waters beneath them?
Winds transfer some of their momentum onto the surface of the water.
Can air hold more water than is needed to reach saturation?
Yes, it is possible for air to be supersaturated.
When oceans absorb an abundant amount of CO2, the gas begins to change the ocean's chemistry and lowers the pH. This is called ocean _____.
acidification
Snow and ice have high _____, or ability to reflect solar energy, which prevents insolation from warming polar and subpolar regions.
albedo
An atom that loans an electron and ends up with a positive charge is called a(n) _____, whereas an atom that gains the electron and ends up with a negative charge is called a(n) _____.
cation; anion
Global trends in warming or cooling, precipitation patterns, wind directions, and other measures is known as climate _____.
change
The _____ of a place or region is characterized by several factors including the specifics of Köppen classification system, topography, wind directions, and pollution.
climate
A shallow thermocline in the western Pacific, an extensive warm pool pushed against the landmass of the western Pacific, and strengthened Walker cell circulation are associated with the ______ phase of ENSO.
cold
After mid-latitude cyclones and an associated ______ front have moved across the Great Lakes, lake-effect snows may occur, bringing large amounts of snowfall to the northeastern United States.
cold
On the map shown here, Florida is experiencing a ______ front.
cold
The _____ air created above snow- and ice-covered surfaces is dense and tends to sink, resulting in stable conditions.
cold
Arctic and Antarctic (A) air masses form near the poles and are very ______.
cold dry
If an ocean current is moving energy out of an environment, it is a ______ current, but if it is bringing energy to an environment, it is a ______ current.
cold; warm
A raindrop preferentially forms around a particle of dust, salt, or smoke called a __________.
condensation nuclei
Hot and dry air masses that typically occur over land are ______.
continental tropical
Saturated air _____ as it rises in the atmosphere. Some of the water vapor changes state, condenses or freezes and releases _____ to the surrounding environment. (Use just one word for each answer.)
cools; heat
The Western Atlantic and Pacific Warm Pools are famous for their _____ reefs and diverse sea life.
coral
As a result of the Coriolis effect deflecting moving air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, tropical cyclones rotate ______.
counterclockwise
Because the Coriolis effect deflects air masses to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, mid-latitude cyclones in North America rotate in a ______ direction.
counterclockwise
Lightning occurs in ______ clouds.
cumulonimbus
What type of clouds are associated with tornadoes?
cumulonimbus
Extrapolating into the future and using an average are two of the ______ of employing return periods to determine risk.
dangers
Encountering cold water ______ the strength of a tropical cyclone.
decreases
Fog can form through each of the following ways except
decreasing the moisture content of the air and increasing temperature.
Water vapor begins to condense at a temperature called the _____ point when a given volume of air becomes saturated.
dew
A rising parcel of air that exchanges energy with its surroundings is ______, whereas a parcel of air that does not exchange energy with its surroundings is ______.
diabatic; adiabatic
The equatorial _____ contain the generally weak winds along the equator, whereas the _____ latitudes are named for the weak winds found in the region of 30ο north and south latitude.
doldrums; horse
Birds are a source of false echoes on _____ radar; however, ecologists have taken advantage of this to study bird behavior.
doppler
An extended period of dry conditions is called a _____.
drought
An Alberta Clipper is a cyclone storm formed on the ______, leeward side of the Rockies in Canada.
east
The West Wind Drift (Antarctic Circumpolar current) is the surface water current that flows to the ______.
east around the entire continent of Antarctica
One of the reasons why tornado frequency is lower in Europe than in North America is
east-west trending mountains inhibit the clash of warm and cold air.
In forecasting weather, seven _______ are used, three of which describe atmospheric movement; another three account for air density changes, changes of the state of water, and the rate of change for incoming solar energy; and the last is the Ideal Gas Law.
equations
Climates classified in Group B of the Köppen classification system are arid and must have the ability to lose more moisture through potential _____ than they receive in precipitation.
evapotranspiration
An anticyclone brings stability to the atmosphere, resulting in ______ weather.
fair clear
True or false: The apparent deflection of moving objects by the Coriolis effect is always to the right.
false
Clouds are classified based on their _____ and _____ , and whether or not they are associated with precipitation.
form; altitude
How do waterspouts form?
from both the processes listed above
The area between two different air masses is called a ______.
front
Carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen are the four primary elements that compose the majority of ______ air pollution compounds.
gaseous
This is a rain _____ used to measure rainfall totals.
gauge
The environmental lapse rate is _____ over cold ocean currents, resulting in adiabatically rising air that becomes colder than the surrounding air.
gentle
Increasing global atmospheric and oceanic temperatures from some point in the past to the present is indicated by the phrase ______
global warming
Increasing global atmospheric and oceanic temperatures from some point in the past to the present is indicated by the phrase ______.
global warming
Because the energy gradient between the poles is ______ in the winter than the summer, the change associated with ENSO are also more drastic at this time.
greater
The _____ effect occurs when longwave radiation is retained between Earth's surface and the atmosphere and keeps the planet warm.
greenhouse
Water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxides (N2O) are all considered potent ______ gases, warming the atmosphere by absorbing energy.
greenhouse
Saturated air next to a snowflake will cause the snowflake to _____ in size, as water-vapor molecules come out of the air and are deposited.
grow
An anticyclone forms when upper-level air slows down and is forced to the surface, causing a ______ -pressure area.
high
Even though locations at 30° latitude are warm, the _____ pressure there doesn't allow air to rise and leads to arid conditions.
high
Ice cover and cold temperatures in _____ latitudes result in low specific humidities at the poles.
high
The _____ pressure and very cold air above Siberia creates conditions that do not create a lot of snow.
high
Water has a relatively high specific heat capacity, which means that it ______.
holds heat well
A harmful accumulation of gases, liquids, and solids in the atmosphere is considered air pollution when ______ the source.
human activity is
The amount of water vapor in the air is the
humidity
Molecules of water are held together by __________ bonds.
hydrogen
A cold cloud will contain mostly _____ whereas a warm cloud will have mostly liquid water.
ice
Florida has the highest dew-point temperatures in the lower 48 states ______.
in the winter and summer
A parcel of air that does not gain or lose energy to its surroundings will _____ in volume and _____ in temperature as it rises in the atmosphere.
increase; decrease
A negative lapse rate is caused when air temperature ______ with increasing height.
increases
Carefully examine the graph displaying atmospheric CO2 readings from Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Are CO2 levels increasing, decreasing, or staying nearly the same?
increasing
The rate at which the air surrounding an adiabatically moving air parcel changes temperature with height is called the environmental _____ rate.
lapse
Tornadoes usually occur _______ in the day.
later
The gentle environmental lapse rate, which appears as a "steep" line in the graph, cools the ______ with height (e.g., 1 C°/km) of the four rates shown.
least
The rising air near the equator and the mid-latitudes tends to result in ______ saline water than areas in the subtropics and polar regions that experience descending air. This is because rising air leads to increased levels of ______.
less; precipitation
Thunderheads are thunderstorms that cause ______.
lightning thunder hail
A tall, high elevation cloud will likely contain ______ even in the summer.
liquid water at the bottom and ice at the top
A climate will be classified as an arid Group B climate in the Köppen classification system if it has the potential to ______ more moisture through evapotranspiration than it ______ from precipitation.
lose; gains
A cyclone is any area of closed atmospheric motion around a _____ -pressure system.
low
Hurricanes are characterized by strong winds rotating around a(n) _____ -pressure area.
low
In an occluded front, moisture circulates counterclockwise around a _____ -pressure zone, pushing the heaviest precipitation to the northwest of the system.
low
Tropical storms mostly travel at ______.
low latitudes
An air ______ is a large body of air with relatively uniform temperature and moisture.
mass
A ______ -latitude cyclone is formed when a cold air mass meets a warmer one along a frontal boundary.
mid
Earth's orbital variations and the associated climates are affected almost exclusively by the Sun and the _____ , with one cycle completed over approximately 100,000 years.
moon
Lightning is ______ common over land than over the ocean.
more
The saturation level of air in a cloud next to an ice crystal can be reached ______ if the air were next to a drop of liquid water.
more easily than
Global warming that causes higher temperatures is predicted to cause ______ snow and ice.
more melting of
When many thunderstorms occur together, it is called a(n) ______ -cell thunderstorm.
multi
A moderately deep thermocline, an average-sized warm pool, and rising air in the equatorial western Pacific with surface winds blowing in from the east, characterizes the ______ phase of ENSO.
neutral
Microbursts
normally display a "starburst" (radial) damage pattern from rotating winds.
The majority of tornadoes in the world occur in the United States, specifically in a ______ belt through the middle of the country.
north-south
In classifying the climate of this imaginary country, the wettest and coolest areas are in the _____. The colors represent temperatures (warmest is red, coolest is purple), and the contour lines represent average precipitation in millimeters.
northeast
Arid climates are
not all hot and can have freezing temperatures, even during the day.
Condensation _____ are tiny particles that are necessary for the formation of water droplets in a cloud.
nuclei
Summer temperatures are high in arid climates because
of high Sun angle and low relative humidity.
An area ______ would have a complex pattern of climate types.
of high relief
A-type climates experience warm, consistent temperatures throughout the year because ______.
of how the Sun interacts with Earth's spinning axis
Tropical waters are pushed to the west by the trade winds on either side of the equator, resulting in a buildup of warm water ______.
on the western side of oceans on the eastern side of continents
Secondary pollutants form when ______. These compounds can be more harmful than the original compounds.
original pollutants react with sunlight, water, or other contaminants
The phenomenon that occurs when low-level air encounters a mountain and rises is called the _____ effect.
orographic
Lightning is most common ______.
over land
When the density in a column of water is similar, bottom waters can rise as surface waters sink. This mixing of waters from different depths is called ______.
overturning
The warmer, less dense upper portion of the ocean that absorbs energy from the Sun is called the ______ zone.
photic
Temperature and precipitation changes accompanying climate change may affect the distribution of ______.
plant and animal communities
Air pollution comes from one of two types of sources: single _____ sources or multiple non-point sources.
point
At high latitudes, the ______ cell is influenced by a high-pressure system at the poles and easterly winds.
polar
Along the equatorward edge of the polar cell is a belt of high-speed westerly winds known as the ______ jet stream.
polar front
The polar cell is formed by air sinking at the _____ and rising at mid-latitudes.
poles
If the Walker-like cell of the IOD shifts to the east, taking the descending limb of the IOD away from the African coast, it allows warm waters to be piled up along the African coast by southeast trade winds. These conditions develop during a ______ IOD.
positive
Warming of oceans due to climate change would evaporate more water, releasing more water vapor and beginning a _____ feedback cycle.
positive
What type of fog is formed in the situation shown here? _____ (Give a one-word answer.)
precipitation
Dust devils are rotating storms created by instability of the atmosphere and rising air; this upward motion creates a strong ______ gradient, strengthening the system.
pressure
The thermocline is the thermal boundary between upper warmer waters and colder deeper waters found in the ocean, and the ______ is the zone of rapid change in density with depth. Since these two zones commonly coincide, the zone can be called the ______.
pycnocline; thermopycnocline
Freezing rain is likely to occur in which sequence when a warm front passes?
rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow
When shortwave radiation interacts with air pollution, it is either _____ and sent back to space, scattered and sent in all directions, or absorbed and trapped in the atmosphere.
reflected
The phrase "hot and humid" is most likely referring to the ______ humidity, not the ______ humidity.
relative; specific
Cloud seeding
relies on cooling the cloud so low water vapor will condense on ice crystals more easily.
The frequency of extreme precipitation events can be described with the term ______ period, which is also known as the recurrence interval.
return
Where upper-level air moves from the _____ to the _____ of a Rossby wave, the air converges, slows, and is pushed toward the surface, causing high pressure below.
ridge; trough
The apparent deflection of moving objects due to the Coriolis effect is to the in the _____ Northern Hemisphere and the _____ in the Southern Hemisphere.
right; left
Tropical cyclones are characterized by ______.
rotating winds low atmospheric pressure
Drought conditions can be quantified using ______ data used to assess vegetation health or by using the Palmer Drought Index, which is based on ______ data.
satellite; soil moisture
Mid-latitude climates are dominated by maritime air masses and experience moderate temperatures swings. The climates are classified into either Group C climates with mild winters and summers or Group D climates with _____ winters and mild summers.
severe
Arid areas may not receive precipitation because they are downwind or in the rain ______ of a mountain range.
shadow
The combination of ______ and ______ would make for the highest SST.
shallow water an area isolated from the open ocean
Sinking air, such as during a temperature inversion, causes air pollution to ______.
sink close to the ground and its source
Condensation nuclei provide a _____ which water droplets can come together.
small particle on
Higher global temperatures due to global warming would likely cause an increase in the melting of ______.
snow
The relatively warm temperatures of the Great Lakes compared to the overlying air generates a steep environmental lapse rate and leads to lake effect ______.
snow
Which area of the world shows a drastic change in seasonal humidity due to a significant change in wind direction that brings warm, moist air from the ocean, resulting in summer monsoon conditions?
southeastern Asia
Under the Köppen classification system, Group B climates differ with regard to the amount of precipitation they receive; _____ climates receive more than ______ climates.
steppe desert
Under the Köppen classification system, Group B climates differ with regard to the amount of precipitation they receive; ______ climates receive more than _____ climates.
steppe; desert
Microbursts produce winds that move in a _______ and can flatten trees or structures with their strong downward-moving winds.
straight line
The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is determined by ______
subtracting the air pressure at Darwin, Australia, from the air pressure measured at Tahiti
The cooler, wetter winter conditions of Mediterranean climates occur because
subtropical highs shrink as they move toward the equator during the winter.
This globe, from the opening two-page spread of the Climate chapter, shows average annual temperature (warmest is red, coolest is purple). What feature corresponds with the areas with the warmest temperatures?
subtropics
The highest surface-water salinities are generally found in the ______, where evaporation exceeds precipitation, and the reverse is true for ______ locations, where the lowest average surface water salinities are found.
subtropics; high-latitude
A-type tropical climates have warm and consistent temperatures all year because the _____ remains high in the sky throughout the year, resulting in consistent day lengths and light intensity.
sun
All of the following are essential ingredients for weather, except ______.
sunshine
Most tornadoes occur in mesocyclones within ______ thunderstorms.
supercell
The global equator-to-pole variations in SST are best explained by the ______.
supply of insolation
In order for water to evaporate, __________ must be overcome.
surface tension
When climatic conditions in one region affect the climatic conditions in a distant region, the associations between the events are called ______.
teleconnections
Sleet and freezing rain form in front of a warm front because its approach creates the needed ______ inversion.
temperature
The measurement of specific humidity allows us to compare air in different settings because it is independent of ______.
temperature
The quantity of sunspots is an indicator of solar activity and corresponds to Earth's recent ______ record.
temperature
Thunderstorms are frequent in the southeastern U.S. because of the warm seawater, warm air, and a contrast between the land and water in terms of ______.
temperature
Air masses are identified by their ______.
temperature geography moisture content
Climate is ______ in a location or area.
the long-term weather patterns
A parcel of air that descends adiabatically warms at ______ it cooled on the way up.
the same rate
Lower salinity ocean waters dip farther south than expected along the California coast because of ______.
the southward flowing California Current
Dew-point measures
the temperature at which air is saturated with water vapor.
The photic zone is ______.
the upper layer of the ocean that is lit by the Sun and tends to be warm and less dense than deeper water
The thermal qualities of water and land are often compared. Water has a higher specific heat capacity and more _____ inertia than land does, which means that it can hold more heat and its temperature is not readily changed by outside influences such as the Sun.
thermal
The combined global scale flow of surface and deep water is called the ______.
thermohaline conveyor
The northern part of the Gulf of Mexico has a relatively low salinity for its latitude and isolated location because ______.
this is the mouth of the Mississippi River
One of the ways to stay safe from the danger of lightning is to know how far away the approaching storm is. If you see a flash of lightning and then hear thunder approximately 15 seconds later, the lightning is
three miles from your location.
______ is the result of air rapidly heating and expanding along the path of a lightning bolt.
thunder
Columns of moist, turbulent air with variable amounts of rain, strong wind, lightning, and hail are called ______.
thunderstorms
The Coriolis effect deflects air ______ in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in counterclockwise flow of mid-latitude cyclones, pushing cold air southward.
to the right
A ______ is a spinning vortex of air that extends from the base of a cloud to the ground.
tornado
A violently rotating column of air that is in contact with a cumulonimbus cloud and the ground is called a(n) _____.
tornado
The Enhanced Fujita scale is used to categorize ______ based on both wind speed and damage.
tornadoes
Which of the following was discussed in the opening two-page spread of the Weather Systems and Severe Weather chapter?
tornadoes in the southeastern U.S.
Seasonal storms that form over warm, tropical waters are called ______.
tropical cyclones
In the Northern Hemisphere, a bend to the south in the polar front jet stream is called a ______.
trough
True or false: Temperate Mediterranean climates are a product of many complex systems merging together to create a pleasant climate.
true
Air next to a liquid drop of water in a cloud is ______, so water molecules will move from the drop to the surrounding air and ______ relative humidity.
unsaturated; increase
The strong lifting needed to create cumulonimbus clouds comes when the atmosphere is _____.
unstable
When surface waters are blown out away from a coastline, cold water from deep in the ocean can replace the surface water in a process called _____.
upwelling
In ______ areas, ground clutter such as buildings are a problem because the return signal from stationary objects is received by the Doppler facility and can be confused with weather.
urban
When land is developed with concrete, glass, and other building materials, it becomes warmer than surrounding rural or undeveloped areas. This warming phenomenon is called a(n) _____ heat island.
urban
A(n) _______ is formed as dark materials in a city absorb insolation during the day and reradiate the energy as heat at night.
urban heat island
The irrigated fields in this part of California help to form a fog, along with the katabatic winds from the nearby mountains.
valley
Cumulonimbus clouds are formed in ______ atmospheric conditions with strong lifting. They are usually accompanied by ______.
very unstable; precipitation and lightning
Tropical storms originate over ______ water.
warm
The conditions for the temperature inversion needed to form sleet and freezing rain occur ahead of a ______.
warm front
The regions in the ocean where surface-water temperatures are consistently higher than adjacent regions and that form and re-form from year to year are called ______.
warm pools
The U.S. Gulf Coast is an exception to the arid conditions usually located at 30 latitude because of the influence of ______.
warm surface ocean currents
A warm ocean current that travels to higher latitudes will likely ______ the overlying air, causing it to ______ and create clouds and precipitation.
warm; rise
When two air masses of different temperatures meet, the ______ mass is forced upward.
warmer and less dense
We currently refer to the measured 40-year trend of increasing temperatures in the atmosphere and oceans as global _____.
warming
A storm ______ is when conditions in an area are favorable for life-threatening weather conditions.
watch
When weather conditions are favorable for a storm that could result in loss of life or property, a storm ______ may be issued.
watch
A waterspout is a rotating vortex of air and water droplets that occurs over ______.
water
A rotating, columnar vortex of air and water droplets that occurs over a body of water is a ______.
waterspout
Mid-latitude Marine West Coast (Cfb and Cfc) and Humid Continental (Dfa and Dfb) climates receive their precipitation from the mid-latitude _____ (winds).
westerlies
Anticyclones in the mid-latitudes of the United States are pushed east by ______ winds.
westerly
The driest area of the United States in winter in terms of precipitation is(are) the ______, as the mountains there block the influence of oceanic moisture.
western states
When two air masses collide, air is forced upward ______.
whether it is stable or unstable
Factors that are important for the formation of fog in an area include not only the overall climate, temperature, and humidity conditions, but also the prevailing _____ direction and whether a location is close to a large body of _____.
wind; water
The damage that results from hurricanes is caused in large part by high-speed _____ , which can reach hundreds of kilometers per hour.
winds
Surface waters in the ocean are moved mainly by ______.
winds transferring some of their momentum onto the surface
The formation of sea ice ______ salts which leaves the surrounding seawater _______.
with a higher salinity excludes
Air that is descending adiabatically cools at a rate of ______ °C/km. It remains unsaturated because the warming ______ its water-vapor capacity, while its relative humidity ______.
-10; increases; decreases
Order the steps of modeling for general circulation models (GCM's) from first at the top to last at the bottom.
1. Data are collected from many sources such as satellites. 2. Data are reviewed for quality and obvious errors. 3. Simulations are run for atmospheric variables at each point for a set time in the future. 4. Simulation iterations continue at each data point for times farther in the future. 5. Predictions are generated for the future, and results are plotted on a map.
How are climate types distributed with increasing latitude? Imagine the Northern Hemisphere, and order the climate types with those closest to the equator at the bottom and those closest to the North Pole at the top.
1. E-types 2. D-types 3. C-types 4. B-types 5. A-types
Order the steps below that take place to form a Kelvin wave associated with El Niño. (Place the first step at the top.)
1. Easterly trade winds blow water to the west. 2. Water piles up in the Pacific warm pool. 3. The easterly trade winds weaken. 4. The mound in the warm pool starts to flow to the east.
Rank the phases of ENSO in terms of SST in the equatorial eastern Pacific. (Place the phase with the highest SST in the eastern Pacific at the top.)
1. El Nino 2. Neutral 3. La Nina
Rank these waters of the Atlantic Ocean by their relative salinity, with the most saline on top.
1. MW 2. NADW 3. AABW 4. AAIW
Click and drag on elements in order Describe the adiabatic temperature changes of air that encounters a mountain by putting the sentences below in the correct order, with the first step in the process on top.
1.) Air moves up the slope of the mountain and cools at the unsaturated adiabatic lapse rate (10 C/km). 2.) At the lifting condensation level, air becomes saturated and clouds form. 3.) Air continues rising and cooling at the saturated adiabatic lapse rate. 4.) The air moves down the other side of the mountain and becomes unsaturated as it warms at 10 C/km due to compression.
Put the sentences below in the correct order describing how return period is calculated. Put the first step at the top.
1.) Specify the magnitude and duration of the event. 2.) Rank the event with other historic events of similar duration. 3.) Divide the number of years of recorded events by the rank of the specific event.
The steepest environmental lapse rate shown on the graph changes approximately _____ C°/km. (Answer with a whole number.)
10
The subtropical jet stream is an area of high westerly winds located at about ______ latitude.
30°
Where would you find a B-type climate?
A and B
Why is the pattern of humidity altered off the southwestern coast of South America?
A cold water current creates drier air.
What is the major surface-water circulation in the Indian Ocean?
A counterclockwise gyre south of the equator
What are the atmospheric conditions in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)?
A high pressure system typically centered near the Azores islands called the Bermuda-Azores High A low pressure system in the northern Atlantic Ocean generally located south of Iceland
What contributes to the non-snowy conditions in Siberia?
A high pressure zone Very cold air
Which of the following are settings in which fog is formed due to the cooling of near-surface air?
A quickly cooling surface at night cools the air above it. Warm air moves over a cold glacier. Air cools as it moves up the slope of a mountain.
Which location below would likely result in the highest average SST? (Assume all areas receive the same amount of isolation.)
A shallow-water location with a limited connection to the open ocean
Based on their temperature, which of the following water masses will have the greatest density? (Assume the salinities are equal.)
A water mass at 4ºC
What are the major components of the southern subtropical gyre in the Indian Ocean?
A west-flowing segment along the equator A cool, north-flowing Western Australian current A warm, south-flowing Mozambique current east of Africa
Match the location with the type of fog likely to form there.
A.) Advection fog B.) Radiation fog C.) Upslope fog D.) Evaporation fog
Match each of the five categories of climate to its classification in the Köppen climate classification system.
A: Tropical climates B: Arid climates C: Temperate mid-latitude climates D: Harsh mid-latitude climates E: Polar climates
______ are distinguished by their temperature, moisture, and geographic characteristics.
Air masses
What conditions are necessary for fog to be produced?
Air temperature is at the dew point, and relative humidity is 100%. The air is saturated.
Select the statements below that accurately describe part of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD).
Air travels east across the surface of the equatorial Indian Ocean. Air descends over the western Indian Ocean near the coast of Africa.
All cumulus clouds are puffy in appearance and indicate unstable air conditions: _____ clouds are found at mid-level in the troposphere, _____ clouds are higher and are both puffy and wispy, and _____ clouds are lower and occur in discrete layers.
Altocumulus Cirrocumulus Stratocumulus
Match the major water masses in the Atlantic Ocean to their descriptions.
Antarctic Intermediate Waters (AAIW): A tongue of less saline but cold water that is found below the surface waters but above deeper and more saline waters Antarctic Bottom Waters (AABW): Very cold with a moderate salinity but with a high density North Atlantic Deep Waters (NADW): An extensive mass of south-flowing cold and saline water Mediterranean Sea (MW): Warm saline surface water
The extremely cold and dry air masses that form over the poles are the ______ and ______.
Arctic Antarctic
Match the climate group to where it is common on Earth's surface.
Arid (B): Along 30°N and 30°S latitudes Temperate (C): Between 30° and 60°N and 30° and 60°S Tropical (A): Along and near the equator Harsh mid-Latitude (D): Along 60°N and 60°S latitudes Polar (E): Highest latitudes in both hemispheres
The Köppen climate classification system includes five major categories: A - tropical climates, B - _____ climates, C - temperate mid-latitude climates, D - harsh mid-latitude climates, and E - _____ climates.
Arid; Polar
Above 4ºC, why does the density of water decrease as water temperature increases?
As water is heated, the individual molecules move more and thus occupy more space, resulting in a lower density
Complete the sentences to relate the temperature of water to whether or not it sinks or floats, assuming stable salinity.
At temperatures from 0 to 4°C: cold water will rise and warm water will sink. At temperatures above 4°C: warm water will rise and cold water will sink.
Which of the following are regions of low humidity?
Atlantic Ocean off of South Africa South Pole Northern Africa
Observing the graph of atmospheric CO2 readings from Mauna Loa, Hawaii, which of the following statements is true?
Atmospheric CO2 has increased since 1960, even with annual cycles.
This location receives more precipitation than any other region, for any time of year, due to orographic lifting, prevailing westerly winds, and proximity to moisture laden ocean air.
B
Which climate is characterized as being the hottest and most arid, and covers large areas of Africa, Australia, and the American Southwest?
BWh
Weather ______ have sensors that report temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction as they travel vertically through the atmosphere.
Balloons
How are the ENSO effects in the equatorial Pacific spread to higher latitudes?
By Hadley cell circulation
Temperate, mid-latitude climates that experience moderate temperatures and precipitation and support large amounts of human activity are designated as Group _____ in the Köppen climate classification system.
C
What is the difference between cations and anions?
Cations have a positive charge, and anions have a negative charge.
What climate experiences hot temperatures and precipitation all year with short cold seasons and is located on the eastern coasts of continents?
Cfa
Which mid-latitude climates experience warm to cool summers with cold but not severe winters, abundant moisture all year, and are located on the western coasts of continents?
Cfb and Cfc
What types of data are collected in an effort to directly predict El Niño events?
Changes in the strength of the trade winds Sea-surface temperatures (SST) Changes in atmospheric pressures
Distinguish the different types of cumulus clouds.
Cirrocumulus: Lumpy, wispy clouds high in the atmosphere composed almost entirely of ice. Altocumulus: Mid-level clouds that contain both liquid water and ice particles. Stratocumulus: Low clouds in discrete layers composed of tiny liquid water drops Cumulonimbus: Tall clouds composed of liquid near their base and ice near their top
Which one of the two primary types of stratiform clouds is located high in the atmosphere and has a bit of a wispy appearance?
Cirrostratus
What is the name for the processes involved in global changes of temperature, precipitation quantities and patterns, wind directions, or other climate indicators?
Climate change
Below are listed factors that are important to the formation of fog in certain settings. Match the factor to why it is important.
Climate: Is a reflection of latitude and influences temperature Humidity: Is the typical moisture condition of an area Proximity to big water: Contributes abundant moisture to the air Wind: Brings moist or dry air into an area Topography: Controls temperatures and influences air movement
What surfaces are efficient reflectors of insolation, causing an decrease in temperature on Earth or in the atmosphere?
Clouds Ice Aerosols
How do snow and ice-covered surfaces affect local atmospheric conditions?
Cold air is kept near the surface, and high pressure develops.
What conditions characterize the positive IOD (Indian Ocean Dipole)?
Cold water is upwelling just west of Indonesia. Warm water piled against the east coast of Africa limits upwelling.
What are the effects of El Niño in the South America region?
Collapse of the fishing industry Abundant rain and floods in Peru and Chile
How might community distributions of plants and animals alter with the possible temperature and precipitation changes associated with climate change?
Communities may either increase or decrease in population and range.
Mid-latitude climates in Group D that are primarily located in the Northern Hemisphere and have year-round precipitation, warm to hot summers, and long cold to severe winters are Dfa and Dfb Humid _____ climates.
Continental
What is the primary reason ocean circulation runs to the north or south?
Continents interrupt the east-west flow, forcing water to move north or south.
The ITCZ stands for the Intertropical _____ Zone, where air from the north and south comes together and is forced to rise.
Convergence
The area near the equator where trade winds converge to create tropical climates is called the Intertropical _____ Zone (ITCZ).
Convergence
What are some of the reasons to classify climates using a globally uniform scale?
Creating useful generalizations Observing broad patterns Communicating regional characteristics
Match the cloud forms to their appropriate descriptions.
Cumuliform: Taller than wide; lumpy Stratiform: One or more layers Cirriform: Feathery; wispy
How does the density of water change as salinity increases? (Assume everything else stays the same.)
Density increases.
Select the atmospheric changes in the South American region associated with the warm phase (El Niño) of ENSO.
Descending air is pushed eastward over the equatorial parts of the Andes, reducing rainfall in Colombia and parts of the Amazon. Trade winds weaken, reducing coastal upwelling.
What are the two primary subtypes of Group B climates using the Köppen classification system?
Desert Steppe
Between the two B-type climates, Deserts and Steppes, which is more arid?
Deserts
Which mid-latitude climates experience warm to hot summers with long cold to severe winters, precipitation all year, and are located in mostly Northern Hemisphere continental interiors?
Dfa and Dfb
El Niño (warm), normal (neutral), and La Niña are the three phases of ______ as determined by surface water temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific.
ENSO
Which of the following statements best describes the link between the depth of the thermocline in the equatorial Pacific and ENSO events?
ENSO events drive changes in the depth of the thermocline.
Match the winds to their description.
Easterlies: Blow from the poles toward the equator and from the east to the west. Westerlies: Blow poleward from the horse latitudes (30ο) and from the west to the east. Trade Winds: Blow toward the equator and from the east to the west.
Wind stress causes ocean surface waters to move in the same direction as the wind. However, each successively deeper layer of water has an apparent deflection away from the layer above it due to the Coriolis effect. The summation of these layers each moving in a slightly deflected direction is called the _____ spiral.
Ekman
A(n) ______ occurs when warm water from the western Pacific moves eastward and replaces the cold waters off the coast of South America. This warm water limits upwelling and causes changes to the local ecosystem and weather patterns across Earth.
El Niño
_______ is(are) an essential ingredient for weather.
Energy Motion Atmospheric moisture
How will an increase in sea-surface temperature (SST) due to global warming change storm intensity and duration?
Evaporated water and latent heat in the atmosphere will increase.
______ commonly forms in the autumn, when cool air rises and incorporates water vapor produced by an underlying warm water body, quickly reaching saturation.
Evaporation fog
Identify the factors that lead to the formation of oceanic warm pools.
Excess insolation Release of latent heat
Where would you find a C-type climate?
F and G
True or false: A weather forecast that includes precipitation means that it is going to rain.
False
True or false: Although the Ekman spiral indicates layers beneath the surface move at an angle to the wind direction, the overall net direction of transport is in the same direction as the wind.
False
True or false: Once a moving water drop in a cloud reaches a certain size, it no longer interacts with surrounding water droplets.
False
True or false: Salinity and temperature decrease in a rather simple linear fashion with increasing depth in the ocean.
False
Do feedbacks from changes in global climate systems amplify or dampen the response from processes such as climate change?
Feedbacks may amplify or dampen changes.
Which processes contribute to precipitation in mid-latitude Humid Continental climates throughout the year?
Flow of Gulf of Mexico moisture Great Lakes moisture Convective thunderstorms
Match the type of proxy data used to study past climate change with its description.
Fossils: We compare these to the modern examples to understand the climate in which they lived. Tree Rings: We measure the width of the seasonal layers, as well as density and carbon isotopes from these. Stalactites: Found in caves, we can measure isotopes and other chemicals in the distinct layers of these features. Marine Organism: We gather these in drill cores, and they provide us information of the ocean's conditions when they lived. Ice cores: These not only contain seasonal layers, but also bubbles preserving past atmospheric gases that we sample.
While both sleet and freezing rain are formed as a water drop encounters conditions of freezing, above freezing, and freezing again as it falls to the surface, which of these forms of precipitation undergoes a longer time above freezing that extends closer to the surface?
Freezing rain
Select the correct summary of global surface winds.
From 30ο latitude, winds blow toward the equator and 60ο latitude, and winds blow toward 60ο latitude from the poles and from lower latitudes.
Tornadoes are classified by their wind speed and level of damage according to the Enhanced _______ scale, which ranges from EF0 to EF5.
Fujita
What groups in the Köppen climate classification system are mid-latitude climates with moderate temperature swings dominated by oceanic air masses? Most have mild winters and summers, whereas a few have more severe winters.
Group D Group C
What is the name used for the series of interacting circular surface currents in the ocean?
Gyres
A ball of ice that falls toward Earth's surface from a cumulonimbus cloud is called ______.
Hail
Identify the scientific contributions of Sir Gilbert Walker.
He researched the causes of drought by focusing on regional wind patterns and ocean temperatures.
Match the pressure conditions with the air movement in Northern Hemisphere Rossby waves.
High Pressure: Air moves to the right and faster. Low Pressure: Air moves to the left and slower.
What are two positive feedbacks associated with warming of Earth's ice and permafrost?
High albedo ice is replaced with low albedo water that will absorb more heat. Warming of permafrost releases methane, which traps longwave radiation.
If the Southern Oscillation Index is positive (higher pressure in Tahiti), which of the following will most likely occur?
Higher pressures will exist in the eastern Pacific from southern Chile to California.
How does air pressure typically change in the Northern Hemisphere during an El Niño event?
Higher than normal pressure is centered on Hudson Bay, the northcentral Pacific, southwestern Europe, and western Africa. Lower than normal pressure forms over the eastern Pacific, Mexico, and the southern U.S.
Convective thunderstorms, clockwise flow of Gulf of Mexico moisture, and downwind snowfall from Great Lakes moisture are the three processes that influence precipitation in ______.
Humid Continental climates
Below 4ºC, why does the density of water decrease with deceasing temperature?
Hydrogen bonding exceeds the disruptive random motion, resulting in a more organized arrangement of molecules that occupies a greater volume.
How do Group E Ice Cap and Tundra and Group D Subarctic climates differ? Compare the climates by matching them to their characteristics.
Ice Cap: Cold temperatures, with averages each month below freezing; not capable of supporting trees. Tundra: Cold temperatures, with averages each month being below 50°F; not capable of supporting trees. Subarctic: Cold temperatures over the year, with very short summers and very long winters; capable of supporting trees.
What do the negative and positive phases of NAO index indicate?
If the difference in atmospheric pressure between the Bermuda-Azores High and the Icelandic Low is greater (positive) or less than normal (negative)
Why are the changes associated with ENSO events typically greater in the winter than in the summer?
In the winter, the energy gradient between the lower and higher latitudes is greater. A stronger gradient results in stronger weather patterns.
All the areas listed below are areas of either upwelling or descending water in the thermohaline conveyor. Select the area of upwelling water.
Indian Ocean
Match the country or geographic area to its climate group.
Indonesia: A-Tropical Sahara: B-Arid Mediterranean: C-Temperate mid-latitude Southern Canada: D-Harsh mid-latitude Antartica: E-Polar
Identify the ways in which ocean water can become less saline.
Input from rivers and streams Melting of sea ice Precipitation
Which of the following describe lapse rate?
Is the temperature change experienced by a moving parcel of air for a given change in elevation. Is measured in C°/km.
How does the melting of sea ice affect the salinity of surface waters?
It decreases salinity as the sea ice is mostly freshwater.
As rains falls on the surface of the ocean, the salinity of the surface water decreases. What happens to the density of the surface water? (Ignore temperature as a factor here.)
It decreases.
Which one of the following statements best summarizes Earth's climate over its long history?
It has been much warmer and much colder than it is today; climate change is usual for Earth.
Why does the second air mass represented by the lower green arrow have a lower dew-point temperature than the first air mass represented by the upper pink arrow?
It has less water vapor in it initially and has to cool more in order to become saturated.
Why does the first air mass represented by the upper pink arrow have a higher dew-point temperature than the second air mass represented by the lower green arrow?
It has more water vapor in it initially and has to cool less in order to become saturated.
Which of the following describe the Intertropical Convergence Zone?
It is located along the equator. Trade winds converge here. It has a relatively high amount of cloud cover.
During an El Niño, what happens to the thermocline in the eastern Pacific?
It is pushed downward as the surface layer of warm water is expanded.
What is hydrogen bonding in water?
It is the bond that forms between the positively charged hydrogen atom of one water molecule and the negatively charged oxygen atom of another.
Which of the following best describes the air on the leeward side of a mountain after it has moved up and over the mountain?
It is warm and dry.
How does an ENSO event affect the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)?
It moves the location and changes the strength of the ascending limb of the IOD.
What happens to a parcel of saturated air as it rises in the atmosphere?
It releases heat. It cools. Water vapor condenses, freezes, or is deposited.
What is the result of having two hydrogen atoms on one side of a water molecule and an oxygen atom on the other side?
It results in water molecules having a polarity.
What happens to the Kelvin wave that causes El Niño to weaken?
It starts to move back to the west and disperses to become less distinct.
What role does Hadley cell circulation play in moving the effects of ENSO around the globe?
It transports the effects north and south by connecting with the east-west Walker cell circulation.
What happens to a rising parcel of air?
Its temperature decreases. Its volume increases.
In 1884, Vladmir _____ first published his climate classification system. A version of this same system is the most widely used system in the world today.
Koppen
The most widely used climate classification system is called the ______.
Köppen classification system
What surfaces absorb enough insolation to cause an increase in temperature on Earth or in the atmosphere?
Land Aerosols Oceans Clouds
_____ is a bolt of electricity in the atmosphere.
Lightning
Carefully examine the map. Which areas are contributing the most to nitrogen oxide air pollution?
Metropolitan areas
What atmospheric process is responsible for the precipitation that the mid-latitude Marine West Coast (Cfb and Cfc) and Humid Continental (Dfa and Dfb) climates experience?
Mid-latitude westerlies
What is the primary research tool used to try to predict ENSO events?
Modeling by supercomputers
_____ ranges such as the Rockies and Appalachians experience sleet and freezing rain, as these features act as cold air dams by blocking the flow of cold air and creating the necessary temperature inversion.
Mountain
What is urbanization?
Natural land cover is replaced with concrete, asphalt, and buildings.
Which four of the gases below are known to significantly contribute to insolation absorbed in the atmosphere or are recognized as greenhouse gases?
Nitrous oxides (N2O) Methane (CH4) Carbon dioxide (CO2) Water (H2O)
The U.S. Midwest and _____ have relatively frequent freezing rain events, both resulting from the same mid-latitude cyclone storm systems.
Northeast
Which location tends to experience increased rainfall during the cold phase of ENSO?
Northeastern Australia
In general, the western side of an ocean will be warmer than the eastern side along the same line of latitude. Why is this?
Ocean currents move cold water toward the equator on the eastern sides of oceans. Ocean currents move away from the equator on the western sides, bringing warmer water to higher latitudes.
How do oceans help the planet stay cool and reduce global warming effects?
Oceans absorb CO2.
How do color bands made from SST data from the open ocean compare to bands made from the SST data collected near continents?
Open ocean bands mostly follow lines of latitude, but bands near continents are more complicated.
The methodology of classifying climates determines where they are located, as in E-type polar climates being restricted to the Arctic and Antarctica. Where are most A-type tropical climates located?
Over oceans
What are the three primary causes of drought?
Persistent high pressure Temporary changes in ocean current strength or direction Unusual wind direction changes
Compare point and non-point sources of pollution by matching them to their descriptions.
Point source: A localized source of pollution Non-point source: Multiple sources of pollution
Warm ocean temperatures in October and distant subtropical highs in December cause a peak in what characteristic of mid-latitude marine climates (Cfb and Cfc)?
Precipitation
Match the setting to the description of how fog is formed there from the cooling of near-surface air.
Radiation: Fog forms as a quick drop in surface temperatures causes near-surface air temperatures to drop to the dew point and become saturated. Advection: Fog forms from the lateral movement of warm air over a cold surface; the warm air cools to the dew point. Upslope: Fog forms as air is forced uphill due to wind forming a cloud along the surface.
Global warming may cause temperature increases on Earth's surface that will melt ice or thaw permafrost. What kinds of positive feedback cycles could be initiated?
Reduction of high albedo surfaces and release of trapped greenhouse gases
What happens to the shortwave portion of insolation when it interacts with air pollution by reflecting, scattering, or being absorbed? Match the correct pairs.
Reflected insolation: Shortwave energy is sent back to space, cooling the atmosphere. Scattered insolation: Shortwave energy is sent in many directions, heating the atmosphere and ground. Absorbed insolation: Shortwave energy is contained, heating the atmosphere but not the ground and reducing chances of precipitation.
Which of the following acronyms is used to indicate the temperatures of surface waters in the ocean?
SST
Deserts such as the _____ in northern Africa are areas of low humidity that occur over land in the subtropics. Low humidity areas can also occur over portions of the ocean due to cold currents, as seen in the image off the southwest coast of Africa.
Sahara Desert
How does the evaporation of water affect the salinity of the remaining water?
Salinity increases.
Why do regions with polar sea ice tend to have higher surface salinities than those of equatorial ocean regions?
Salt is excluded when ice is forming from seawater, increasing the salinity of the remaining water.
Why does the formation of sea ice increase the salinity of the surrounding water?
Salts are excluded from ice as it forms, thus increasing the salinity of the remaining water.
Why is the adiabatic lapse rate for saturated air less than the rate for unsaturated air?
Saturated air releases latent heat as condensation occurs, thereby lowering the lapse rate.
When referring to the ocean, what does the acronym SST stand for?
Sea-surface temperatures
______ anticyclones stay in the same general area for entire seasons and year after year, as opposed to migrating anticyclones.
Semipermanent
Which of the following describe the effects of deforestation on local atmospheric stability?
Shading is reduced, and more insolation is used to heat the ground. Less transpiration occurs, which results in less water (and heat) added to the atmosphere.
What is the primary factor that causes oceanwide shifts in patterns of SST throughout the year?
Shifts in amount of insolation received during the year
Who was the scientist responsible for the first in-depth investigation into the relationship between regional wind patterns, ocean temperatures, and drought?
Sir Gilbert Walker
What is the term used to describe precipitation that is a mixture of snow and rain?
Sleet
Match the way in which air rises due to interaction with the land surface with the correct words that complete the description.
Slow down: Wind may ______ due to friction with the land surface, causing air behind it to pile up and rise. Warm up: Air on different sides of a mountain may ______ during the day, causing it to rise and converge at the summit. Pile up: Low-level winds may encounter a mountain, causing them to slow down, ______, and rise.
What conditions are associated with a negative IOD (Indian Ocean Dipole)?
Southeast trade winds weaken in the Indian Ocean. The IOD migrates to the west. Warmer than normal waters are located off the west coast of Indonesia.
The _____ Hemisphere has high humidity in January and low humidity in July, whereas the _____ Hemisphere has low humidity in January and high humidity in July.
Southern; Northern
The mass of water vapor in a body of air compared to the total mass of that air is ______ humidity.
Specific
For Group B climate classification, what is the key factor used to differentiate Desert and Steppe climates?
Steppes receive more precipitation than deserts
Which of the three types of cloud forms listed is layered and comes from the Latin word for "to stretch"?
Stratiform
_____ is a type of cloud that produces the spread-out appearance of overcast skies.
Stratiform
The ______ jet stream circles the globe at around 30° latitude.
Subtropical
What three factors are the primary influences on temperate Mediterranean climates?
Subtropical highs Ocean currents Subtropical latitude
In which season are dew-point temperatures the highest in the United States?
Summer
Warm temperatures during the _____ fuel evaporation, leading to higher humidity levels. Winter humidity levels generally are lower due to cooler temperatures and less evaporation.
Summer
Air that exceeds its saturated level is said to be ____ -saturated.
Super
What causes upwelling in equatorial waters?
Surface waters are moved away from the equator by the Coriolis deflection and water must upwell to replace the lost water.
How is the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) linked to ENSO events?
The IOD shares an ascending limb with the Walker cell in the Pacific.
How does the warm water off the west coast of South America get there during an El Niño event?
The Kelvin wave brings in warm water from the western Pacific.
Which of the following best describe unsaturated air conditions?
The air contains less water vapor than it is able to hold. The weather is likely fair.
How does air pressure typically change in the Northern Hemisphere during the cold phase (La Niña) of ENSO?
The air pressure changes are nearly the reverse of those during El Niño. The southern and East Coast of the U.S. experience higher than average atmospheric pressures.
What happens in the urban heat island effect when shortwave radiation enters an area with many buildings very close together, such as downtown high rises?
The albedo changes, and radiation is reflected from one surface to another, heating many things.
Interpret the map by matching the phrases.
The area along the equator: gains more water through precipitation than it loses through evaporation. The area south of the equator: loses more water through evaporation than it gains through precipitation.
What is meant when describing the return period of an extreme precipitation event?
The average length of time between events of equal magnitude
What are the problems with determining risk using the return period?
The calculation is a probability. Extrapolation into the far future is dangerous.
Which of the following changes are likely to take place in the cold phase (La Niña) of ENSO?
The central and eastern equatorial Pacific experiences reduced rainfall. The western Pacific experiences more precipitation. The southern U.S. becomes much drier.
Polar regions receive less insolation, and that is the major reason cold waters form there. However, what other factors contribute to the formation of cold waters in polar regions?
The clear skies that result from descending air allow for the escape of greater amounts of longwave radiation and more reflected light from sea ice.
How does the greater amount of cloud cover near the equator as compared to the subtropics lead to higher SST in the subtropics?
The clouds near the equator reflect more insolation before it reaches the surface waters.
Which of the following statements accurately describe part of the surface water circulation in the southern Atlantic Ocean?
The cold Benguela current flows north along the western coast of southern Africa. The Brazil current interacts and flows east with the Antarctic Subpolar (Circumpolar) current.
Which of the following statements accurately describe part of the surface water circulation in the southeastern Pacific Ocean?
The cold Humboldt current flows north along the west coast of South America. There is a west-flowing segment near the equator called the South Equatorial current.
In the simulation of general circulation models (GCM's), data are collected from many sources and are reviewed for obvious errors. What process takes the raw data and generates results to be plotted on maps?
The data are run through equations for set times in the future until a clear model of the future has been constructed and is plotted on a map.
If the difference in pressure between the Bermuda-Azores high and the Icelandic low is less than normal, the NAO index is negative. Select the climatic conditions below that typically accompany a negative NAO index.
The eastern U.S. experiences above-normal snowfall. North Africa is wetter than normal. Northwest Europe and Russia are colder and drier than normal.
Identify the ways in which ice shelves can form or grow.
The freezing of seawater on the bottom of the ice shelf Snow and other precipitation landing on the top From the outflow of glaciers from land to sea
What process traps longwave radiation between the atmosphere and the surface to warm the planet?
The greenhouse effect
Select that statements below that accurately represent part of the global surface seawater salinity pattern.
The highest salinities are found in areas of high pressure in the subtropics. The lowest salinities are mostly found at high latitudes, where evaporation is reduced.
What are teleconnections?
The links between climatic changes in one region and climatic changes in a distant region
What is overturning in the ocean?
The mixing of deep and surface waters that occurs when their densities are similar
What configuration of the IOD allows for the greatest amount of upwelling of cold water off the eastern coast of Africa and a growing warm pool in the eastern Indian ocean?
The negative IOD
Select all the statements below that accurately compared SST data from July and January in the Atlantic Ocean.
The northernmost waters of the Atlantic will be warmer in July than in January. The southernmost waters of the Atlantic will be colder in July than in January.
What is Walker cell circulation?
The pattern of east-west equatorial atmospheric circulation centered on warm air rising above warm pools
Why do substances such as salts dissolve in water?
The polar nature of the bonds in water attracts atoms bonded in other molecules, sometimes enough to break them apart.
What are ocean gyres?
The series of interacting circular surface currents in the ocean.
What does the Ekman spiral describe?
The slight deflection due to the Coriolis effect of each successively deeper layer of water
What is the double sea breeze that Florida experiences?
The southern part of the state experiences sea breezes both in the morning and the evening every day.
How do storms get funneled east-to-west across the northern Atlantic?
The southern side of the Icelandic Low and the northern side of the Bermuda-Azores High push storms eastward.
Identify conditions associated with the warm phase (El Niño) of ENSO.
The thermocline in the western Pacific becomes shallower. Rainfall over the central Pacific is increased.
How do the changes associated with ENSO affect the subtropical and polar jets?
The three phases of ENSO feed moisture into the jets at different locations, mostly affecting areas to the east (the direction of airflow).
What is the influence of orbital, tilt, and solar radiation variations on recent climate warming trends, i.e., the past 200 years?
The variations are either so slight or operate on such a long time scale that none of these alone could account for recent trends.
If the trade winds weaken just east of the International Date Line and the pressure increases in Darwin, Australia, relative to Tahiti, what has likely just begun?
The warm phase (El Niño) of ENSO
Why does El Niño eventually start to weaken?
The warm pool in the Kelvin wave starts to move back to the west, and generally disperses.
Identify conditions associated with the cold phase (La Niña) of ENSO.
The warm pool is pushed westward toward Australasia and Indonesia. Upwelling off the coast of South America is strengthened. Walker cell circulation strengthens over the equatorial Pacific.
What is a Kelvin wave with respect to an El Niño event?
The warm pool of water that moves across the equatorial Pacific
Which of the following statements accurately describe part of the surface water circulation in the northern Pacific Ocean?
The west-flowing portion of the Alaskan current mixes with the cold waters flowing out of the Arctic Ocean via the Bering current. Some of the east-moving mid-latitude water heads north after approaching North America, bringing warm water to northwestern North America.
What is the surface water circulation pattern in the western Pacific Ocean?
There are two large subtropical gyres (one in each hemisphere), both of which flow west along the equator until one heads north and one heads south.
Select the statement below that best describes the surface water circulation pattern in the Northern Pacific Ocean.
There is a large, clockwise-flowing subtropical gyre.
Select the statement that best describes the surface water circulation pattern in the Southern Ocean.
There is a large-scale, east-flowing current completely around the continent of Antarctica.
What are two early lines of evidence indicating the warm phase of ENSO may have started?
There is a temporary weakening of the trade winds just east of the International Date Line at the start of the warm phase. An increase in atmospheric pressure occurs in the westernmost Pacific relative to locations farther east in the Pacific.
Match the terms thermocline, pycnocline, and thermopycnocline to their descriptions.
Thermocline: The zone between warmer upper waters and the colder deeper waters of the ocean Pycnocline: The zone of rapid density change in the ocean between deeper higher density water and less dense surface waters Thermopycnocline: The zone in the ocean where temperature and density both change rapidly
Why do equatorial regions tend to have warmer ocean waters but lower-than-average salinities?
They are subjected to warm atmospheric temperatures but high rainfall.
What additional factors, beyond those characterized in the Köppen classification system, determine the climate of a region?
Topography Wind directions Pollution
_____ usually occur within the mesocyclones of supercell thunderstorms but can also occur in tropical cyclones or single-cell thunderstorms.
Tornadoes
How does a Kelvin wave, associated with El Niño, start in the western Pacific?
Trade winds blow water westward and pile it up in the western Pacific warm pool. The winds then weaken, and this pile of water flows to the east.
What are the differences in A-type tropical climate precipitation patterns? Match the climate to its precipitation pattern.
Tropical Rain Forest (Af): The climate receives precipitation year-round. Tropical Monsoon (Am): The climate receives precipitation seasonally. Tropical Savanna (Aw): The climate receives precipitation for half the year.
This partial graph shows adiabatic lapse rates for parcels of air starting at different temperatures. Height in kilometers is the y-axis. Match the lapse rate with the correct type of line.
Unsaturated lapse rate: Red line; doesn't vary Saturated lapse rates: Blue line; does vary
What does ENSO stand for?
El Niño and Southern Oscillation
What is the NAO index?
The difference in atmospheric pressure between the Bermuda-Azores High and the Icelandic Low
The warm pool of water that moves across the equatorial Pacific during the warm phase of ENSO does so as a ______ wave.
Kelvin
The linked responses of El Niño and the Southern Oscillation are known by the acronym _____.
ENSO
How fast does the Kelvin wave associated with El Niño move across the equatorial Pacific?
3 meters per second
The most likely time for a tornado during the day is at
6 p.m.
What is the surface water circulation pattern in the northern Atlantic Ocean?
A large subtropical gyre exists that flows clockwise in the Atlantic.
What is the correct relationship between levels of water vapor in air in a cloud that is next to either ice or liquid water?
Air in contact with ice can hold less water vapor.
What happens when two air masses collide?
Air is forced upward, as an air mass is an obstacle.
A rain gauge is a ______ with graduated markings.
Cylinder
______ gives water many of its unique properties. It is the bond that forms between a hydrogen atom of one water molecule and the oxygen atom of another molecule.
Hydrogen bonding
Select the statements below that accurately describe part of the thermohaliine conveyor.
In the Pacific, upwelling occurs off the southern coast of the Alaskan (Aleutian) islands. In the Atlantic, surface water in the conveyor moves to the north and deep water moves to the south. Surface water flows to the west from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean and on to the Atlantic Ocean.
The Icelandic _____ and the Bermuda-Azores _____ are located next to each other in the _____ Ocean; their opposite rotations constrict air and energy, i.e., storms, and funnel them to the east.
Low High Atlantic
Identify the factors that contribute to the formation of abyssal water.
Low temperature High salinity
What factor affects arid regions downwind of nonarid mountain ranges?
Rain shadows
Which season has the least amount of fog in the United States?
Summer
______ are an indicator of solar activity and correspond with temperature changes on Earth from long ago. More recent temperature changes do not correspond as well.
Sunspots
What defines the Southern Oscillation?
The correlated reversals in air pressure in Darwin, Australia, and in Tahiti (central Pacific)
How are the terms warm and cold best used to describe the temperature of ocean water?
They should be used to describe the temperature of the water relative to the environment through which they are passing.
In what direction do currents in the ocean tend to move warm water?
Toward the poles
Warm pools can set up ______.
an east-west circuit of air through the tropics
Derechos
are strong downdrafts that often create ominous looking shelf clouds.
Lightning is associated with ______ clouds, the type that form thunderstorms.
cumulonimbus
The first stage of single-cell thunderstorm formation is the ______ stage.
cumulus
The initial stage in the formation of a single-cell thunderstorm is called the _______ stage, which occurs when surface air heats up more quickly than the air aloft.
cumulus
Air that flows along bends in the jet stream called Rossby waves converges as it moves from the upper-level ridge of ______ pressure to the upper-level trough of ______ pressure.
high; low
Deep water in the thermohaline conveyor rises where it ______.
hits the northern limit of an ocean basin
The angle of the Sun in Polar and Subarctic climates is _____ during the summer, and the Sun is below the horizon during the winter. This results in little sunlight per unit area during the summer, keeping temperatures low and causing darkness all day during the winter.
low
On the map shown here, the Rocky Mountains are experiencing a ______ front.
stationary
Thunderstorms that cause hail, lightning, and thunder are called _____ heads.
thunder
Most of the damage caused by hurricanes and other tropical cyclones is the result of ______.
wind
What is the dew point?
The temperature at which a volume of air becomes saturated with water vapor
Measurements of discharge have been taken on the Milwaukee River at station #101 for 104 years; this summer discharge reached a reached the 5th highest level. What is the return period? _____ years
21
Match the type of fog to the general location where it is commonly formed.
Advection fog: Where cold ocean currents extend into warm coastal areas. Evaporation fog: Over the open oceans. Radiation fog: Over the polar ice caps.
A climate located near the equator with hot temperatures and abundant precipitation year-round is a(n) ______ climate.
Af
Which part of the United States has the highest amount of precipitation in the winter?
Coastal Pacific Northwest
Where would you find a D-type climate?
I
What changes could be expected if global warming affected the upper-level atmospheric circulation patterns?
Increased precipitation or drought
Which of the following changes are likely to take place in the warm phase (El Niño) of ENSO?
Increased rainfall occurs in the central Pacific. Reduced rainfall occurs in the western Pacific.
How does a Kelvin wave contribute to El Niño?
It delivers the warm water to the west coast of South America.
Water descends in the Greenland Sea and Labrador Sea as part of the thermohaline conveyor. What causes the water to sink here?
Saline waters from the subtropics are delivered to these northern seas where they are made cold and the density of the water further increases.
What effects does the Sun angle have on Polar and Subarctic climates during the summer and winter?
Small amounts of sunlight per unit area during summer Darkness all day during much of the winter
If the difference in pressure between the Bermuda-Azores High and the Icelandic Low is greater than normal, the NAO index is positive. Select the climatic conditions below that typically accompany a positive NAO index.
Southern Europe and North Africa experience drought during the normal wet season. Northwest Europe and European Russia experience warmer, wetter winters.
Select the statements below that describe the effects of a Kelvin wave as it moves across the equatorial Pacific during the warm phase of ENSO.
The Kelvin wave increases sea level and SST where it is. The thermocline behind (to the west of) the Kelvin wave rises after the wave passes. The Kelvin wave travels to the east.
Which one of the U.S. regions listed has the highest frequency of freezing rain?
The Midwest
Of the U.S. areas listed, which is the least foggy?
The Southwest
What is the thermohaline conveyor?
The combined global-scale flow of surface and deep water
How does El Niño affect the fishing industry of the western coast of South America?
The conditions are bad for the fishing industry.
What helps drive the east-west circuit of air in the tropics?
The formation of warm pools and the rising air found above them
What effect does the polar nature of water molecules have on solid materials placed in water?
The positive and negative sides of a water molecule attract charged ions in the solids, which potentially can break them apart.
What is upwelling?
The rising of deep water to replace surface water that has been pushed farther offshore
Which phase of ENSO is associated with colder than normal SST in the western Pacific?
The warm phase
How do abyssal ocean waters form?
They form as cold and saline water sinks near the poles.
Why are condensation nuclei necessary for the formation of water droplets in a cloud?
They provide very small particles on which water droplets can condense.
What was been the temporal pattern of El Niño in recent decades?
They reoccur about once every 5 to 7 years and last 12 to 18 months.
_____ are the most fundamental of all organized weather systems and are characterized by columns of moist, turbulent air. They have variable amounts of rain, strong wind, lightning, and potentially hail.
Thunderstorms
Which of the following helps hurricanes to grow and be sustained?
Warm surface water evaporates into warm rising water vapor, which condenses.
Identify surface water circulation patterns commonly found in the western Pacific.
Water flows westward near the equator. A clockwise gyre exists in the northwestern Pacific water near Japan.
The influence of the Sun and the Moon pull Earth's orbit from ______ orbit to a more elliptical orbit, which also influences Earth's climate through cycles lasting about 100,000 years.
a circular
Higher temperatures from global warming and altered ocean currents could cause ______ regions to grow larger in a process called desertification.
arid
The net transport resulting from the Ekman spiral is ______.
at an angle to the surface winds
For precipitation to occur
buoyant forces keeping water droplets and ice crystals suspended must be less than the force of gravity.
_____ is defined as the long-term weather pattern of a place including the variability and extremes of weather.
climate
Classifying _____ is critical for communicating regional environmental characteristics, observing broad global patterns, and analyzing large amounts of meteorological data collected over years or decades.
climates
Cirrus clouds are composed of _____ as they are located very high in the troposphere. They are also easily blown about by strong winds at these levels, so they have a wispy appearance.
ice
Hail is a ball of _____ that forms under freezing conditions in a cumulonimbus cloud and may accompany a thunderstorm.
ice
The freezing of seawater, ice outflow from glaciers, and additions of snow can all contribute the growth of _____ shelves.
ice
Freezing rain is so dangerous because it creates very _____ roads and sidewalks that we don't expect.
icy
The majority of the tornadoes occur ______ of the United States.
in the center
Thunder results when the air along the path of a lightning bolt ______ in temperature and expands.
increases
Winds transfer kinetic energy to the ocean surface, so their speed ______ with height above the water.
increases
Temperatures in deserts, such as those in the American Southwest with hot days and cool nights, are controlled in part by ______.
insolation from high Sun angles
Lines on a map that connect areas of equal air pressure are ______.
isobars
Air that rises due to the orographic effect does so because
it encounters a mountain.
Cyclones form along the ______ side of the Canadian Rockies, bringing cold air eastward.
leeward
With deforestation:
less insolation is used for evaporation and more for sensible heating of the ground surface.
Doppler radar gives us information about ______ within individual storm clouds.
mass movement
The sound of thunder is created by
matter in different air streams colliding.
The best evidence of vertical wind shear in the development of a multi-cell thunderstorm is at
mature stage.
Hail is most frequent in the ______ United States.
middle
Cold air trapped against a mountain can create a temperature inversion by forcing warm air upward; this produces ______ at the lowest elevations, ______ at the highest elevations, and ______ in-between.
rain; snow; sleet and freezing rain
The process of desertification caused by climate change would mean less _____ and possibly warmer temperatures in an affected region.
rainfall
Climate that changes from warmer to colder within a 1,000-year time frame, as recorded in ice cores from polar regions, is considered to be ______ change.
rapid
In the Northern Hemisphere, a bend to the north in the polar front jet stream is called a ______.
ridge
The ITCZ or Intertropical Convergence Zone is ______.
the area near the equator where trade winds meet
Changes to precipitation patterns of rainfall or drought and ______ may result from changes to upper-level circulation patterns.
the ease with which cyclones form
The subtropical location of desert climates means that ______, and insolation will dramatically heat the surface creating hot temperatures.
the noon Sun is high
_____ air continues to rise due to its warmth, unconditionally unstable air may either rise or sink, depending on saturation level, and _____ rising air is likely to sink.
unstable; stable
The surface water that builds up over the equator is ultimately pushed away to the north and south; it is replaced by cooler, deeper water in the process of _____.
upwelling
Tropical cyclones are intense seasonal storms that form over ______, tropical waters and can cause heavy precipitation.
warm
Why does southeastern Asia experience such a dramatic change in seasonal humidity?
During the summer, the winds switch direction and bring warm, moist air from the ocean.
Which state has the highest year-round dew-point temperatures?
Florida
Measured in units of degrees per vertical distance, the _____ rate is the measure of how much a rising parcel of air cools for a given rise in elevation.
lapse
Global patterns of specific humidity vary primarily due to _____.
latitude
Deforestation exposes more soil to incoming solar radiation, which results in more heating of the ground, less transpiration, and _____ energy stored as latent heat in the local atmosphere.
less
Low temperatures in the northern United States during the winter result in low humidity and very ______ dew-point temperatures.
low
The general trend of dew-point temperatures in the United States during the winter is ______ dew points in the north that get ______ to the south.
low; higher
Saturated air releases latent heat as it ascends adiabatically when condensation occurs, which ______ the lapse rate.
lowers
Because the measurement of specific humidity relies on the ______ of air and the mass of water within that air, the specific humidity does not change with temperature or pressure. This quality make specific humidity useful in comparing air in different settings.
mass
Because we expect air to decrease in temperature with an increase in height, a parcel of air does the opposite is said to have a _____ lapse rate.
negative
Global patterns of specific humidity over the oceans are interrupted by ______, whereas the patterns over land are affected by ______. Choose the most important influences.
ocean currents; topography
As air cools, the ______ humidity will change but the ______ humidity will not.
relative
Why does dew typically form in the evening?
Air cools in the evening, and cold air holds less moisture than warm air, causing the vapor to condense.
Match the air mass with the amount of cooling necessary in order to reach its dew-point temperature.
Air mass 1—relative humidity 15%: Has to cool the most in order to reach its dew point Air mass 2—relative humidity 60%: Has to cool a moderate amount in order to reach its dew point Air mass 3—relative humidity 90%: Has to cool the least in order to reach its dew point
What is the primary difference between an adiabatic and diabatic parcel of air?
An adiabatic parcel does not exchange energy with its surroundings, whereas a diabatic parcel does.
What is the primary reason that regional humidity changes seasonally?
Higher humidity comes with higher temperatures.
Why does the Southern Hemisphere have less variability in seasonal humidity patterns compared to the Northern Hemisphere?
The Southern Hemisphere has more water.
Which of the following are true in describing low-level air that encounters a mountain?
The air warms as it moves down the other (leeward) side of the mountain. As it moves up the mountain, it cools at 10 °C/km.
Which two of the following phrases describe local air stability before and after land development?
The atmosphere was stable before development. The atmosphere was unstable after development.
What is dew-point depression?
The difference between the current air temperature and the dew-point temperature
Unstable air conditions are produced when a rising parcel of air continues to rise within the atmosphere because it is warmer than its surroundings. What is the relationship between the adiabatic lapse rate and the environmental lapse rate for this situation?
The environmental lapse rate is steeper than the adiabatic lapse rate.
Which of the following describes relative humidity?
The ratio of the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere compared to the water-vapor capacity
How do the unsaturated adiabatic lapse rate and the saturated adiabatic lapse rate differ?
The saturated adiabatic lapse rate varies with temperature whereas the unsaturated does not.
How does the presence of more water than the Northern Hemisphere affect the seasonal humidity levels in the Southern hemisphere?
There is less variability.
What happens to the unsaturated adiabatic lapse rate and environmental lapse rate as a result of land development? Remember that such cases are rare.
They both start at a warmer temperature after development. The environmental lapse rate becomes steeper after development.
The varying _____ over land areas creates humidity patterns that are more complicated than those over the oceans.
Topography
Match the region to the correct seasonal pattern of specific humidity. Tropics, Poles, Southern Hemisphere, and Northern Hemisphere
Tropics: Highest humidity year-round Poles: Lowest humidity year-round Southern Hemisphere: High humidity in January, low humidity in July Northern Hemisphere: Low humidity in January, high humidity in July
Characterize the different air stability conditions.
Unstable air: Rising air, whether saturated or unsaturated, is warmer than the surrounding air and continues to rise. Conditionally unstable air: Rising air will either continue to rise if it is saturated or cease rising if it is unsaturated. Stable air: Rising air is cooler than the surrounding environment and has a tendency to sink.
Match the air stability conditions to the correct relationship between environmental lapse rate and adiabatic lapse rate.
Unstable air: The environmental lapse rate is steeper than the adiabatic lapse rate. Conditionally unstable air: The environmental lapse rate is between the unsaturated and saturated adiabatic lapse rates. Stable air: The adiabatic lapse rate is steeper than the environmental lapse rate.
What is the name of the process through which natural land cover is replaced by asphalt, concrete, and buildings?
Urbanization
How does a warm ocean surface current influence the overlying atmosphere?
Warm air created by the water will rise adiabatically if warmer than the surrounding air and cause an unstable atmosphere, forming clouds and rain. These conditions create a steep environmental lapse rate.
What happens to water-vapor capacity with an increase in temperature?
Water-vapor capacity increases.
