wx301 exam2
colder than
Assuming an environmental lapse rate of 6.5°C and a moist adiabatic lapse rate of 5°C/km, an unsaturated parcel will be ___________ the environment if forced to rise to 1 km. the same temperature as -the same temperature as -warmer than -colder than
The saturated parcel
Both a saturated and an unsaturated parcel , each with a temperature of 15 ° C , are forced to rise from the surface to a height of 2 km . Which parcel will be warmest upon reaching 2km ? • The saturated parcel • The unsaturated parcel • They will both be the same.
534 dam
Calculate the 1000-500 mb thickness if the height of the 1000mb surface is 185m and the height of the 500 mb surface is 5525m. 500 mb 571 dam 5710 m 534 dam
flow from the water towards the land.
During peak heating in the afternoon (in the absence of strong, large-scale winds), the coastal winds near large bodies would _____________. -flow from the land towards the water. -remain calm in the absence of large-scale winds. -flow from the water towards the land.
Absolutely Stable
Examine the image below and describe the type of stability it best depicts .
Conditionally Unstable
Examine the image below and describe the type of stability it best depicts .
Absolutely Unstable
Examine the image below and describe the type of stability it best depicts . • Absolutely Unstable • Conditionally Unstable • Absolutely Stable
City C
Examine the picture below . Based on the given temperature ( T ) and dew point temperature ( Td ) information , which city has the greatest amount of water vapor in the air ?
City B
Examine the picture below . Based on the given temperature ( T ) and dew point temperature ( Td ) information , which city has the highest relative humidity ?
Line C is the environmental lapse rate because a portion of it shows warming with height ( an inversion ) . The MALR and DALR will always cool with height .
Examine the picture below . Which lapse rate best represents the Environmental Lapse Rate ( ELR ) ?
Line A
Examine the picture below . Which of the four environmental lapse rates is most unstable ?
Line A
Examine the picture below Which lapse rate best represents the DALR ?
converge into the low creating upward vertical motion.
Friction at the surface of a low pressure system causes winds to slow and: - diverge away from the low creating downward vertical motion (subsidence). - converge into the low creating upward vertical motion. -neither converge nor diverge.
Daytime heating destabilizes the atmosphere .
How does daytime heating most typically affect atmospheric stability ? • Daytime heating stabilizes the atmosphere. • Daytime heating has no impact on stability. • Daytime heating destabilizes the atmosphere.
Pressure would decrease (a low would develop)
If at 500mb more air mass was leaving a location than entering, what would you expect to happen to the surface pressure directly below that same location? -Pressure would increase (a high would develop) -There would be no change in surface pressure. -Pressure would decrease (a low would develop)
down Correct. At night, the mountains cool due to longwave radiational cooling. The air next to mountains become cooler and more dense, so they sink down towards the valley.
In absence of strong large-scale flows, winds generally flow __________ the mountains at nighttime. -up -down -outwards from
cool ; heat
In general , the most effective way to destabilize the atmosphere is to _____________ the mid levels and ________________ the low levels . • heat: cool • cool; heat • heat; heat • cool; cool
Cumuloform (Cumulus, altocumulus, cirrocumulus)
In general, which of the two cloud categories are most indicative of turbulence? -Stratiform (Stratus, altostratus, cirrostratus) -Cumuloform (Cumulus, altocumulus, cirrocumulus)
C)destabilize
Large - scale ascent ( lifting ) of the air tends to __________ the atmosphere . A) do nothing to B)Ostablize C)destabilize
absolutely stable
Temperature inversions are _______ layers. -absolutely stable -neutrally stable -absolutely unstable -conditionally unstable
B
The 1000-500mb thickness at location A is 540 dam, while the thickness at location B is 552 dam, while the thickness at location C is 534 dam, which location has the greatest average temperature in the layer between 1000 and 500 mb?
Winter
The polar jet would have the best chance of being located over Florida during what season? Fall Winter Spring Summer
conditionally unstable
The standard environmental lapse rate is
warmer than standard
The thickness (or height difference) between two pressure surfaces will be greatest when the mean temperature of the layer is _________. -standard -colder than standard -warmer than standard
B)During spring , the mid- and upper - levels are still cold from winter , but the ground is now starting to warm . This destabilizes the atmosphere .
Tornadoes in the U.S. are most prevalent during the spring months . Given your new found understanding of stability , which of the reasons below is most correct . A)During spring , the mid- and upper - levels are very warm from the previous summer , and the ground is starting to get colder . This destabilizes the atmosphere . B)During spring , the mid- and upper - levels are still cold from winter , but the ground is now starting to warm . This destabilizes the atmosphere . C)During spring , the mid- and upper - levels start to warm at the same rate as the ground . Since the entire atmosphere is warming by the same amount , this causes the the environmental lapse rate to steepen rapidly , making the atmosphere more unstable .
B)Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate ( DALR )
Turbulent mixing near the surface generally causes the ELR to become more similar to the _____________ A)Environmental Lapse Rate ( ELR ) from the 12 hours earlier B)Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate ( DALR ) C)Moist Adiabatic Lapse Rate ( MALR )
Condensation nuclei, lifting mechanism, and moisture
What are the three necessary ingredients for cloud formation? -Frontal boundaries, moisture, and strong downdrafts. -Condensation nuclei, lifting mechanism, and moisture -Upper-level convergence, water vapor, and fairy dust
5400 m
What is the 1000-500mb "critical thickness" value commonly used as a rule-of-thumb to determine the rain/snow line east of the Rocky Mountains? -5400 m -5520 m -534 dam -546 dam
Temperature (or thickness) pattern
When examining an upper-level map, the polar jet tends to be outlined by the: Temperature (or thickness) pattern Cloud pattern Humidity (or moisture) pattern Surface pressure pattern
lower
When the air temperature is colder than standard, the altitude displayed on your altimeter (i.e., indicated altitude) will be _______ your true altitude. -higher than (i.e., the aircraft is lower than indicated) -lower than (i.e., the aircraft is higher than indicated) -the same as (i.e., the aircraft is at the indicated altitude)
Friction (Drag)
Which force is significant only near the surface and disrupts geostrophic balance causing the wind to blow across the isobars towards lower pressure? -Friction (Drag) -Pressure gradient -Centrifugal -Coriolis
A)An air parcel forced to rise as it moves over a mountain.
Which of the following best describes the cooling of an air parcel due to adiabatic expansion ? A) An air parcel forced to rise as it moves over a mountain. B)An air parcel cooling at night due to long-wave radiational cooling. C)An air parcel cooling as it comes into contact with a cold surface.
Southwesterly wind
Which of the following is NOT typical AFTER a cold front passes a given location? -Sea-level pressure rises -Dewpoint falls -Southwesterly wind -Precipitation ends
Environmental Lapse Rate ( ELR )
Which of the three lapse rates fluctuates daily and must be measured with a radiosonde ? • Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR) • Environmental Lapse Rate (ELR) • Moist Adiabatic Lapse Rate (MALR)
Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate ( DALR )
Which of the three lapse rates is always constant , cooling at approximately 10 ° C / km , regardless of the starting temperature and pressure ? •Environmental Lapse Rate (ELR) • Moist Adiabatic Lapse Rate (MALR) • Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR)
Environmental Lapse Rate ( ELR )
Which of the three lapse rates measures the temperature of the air through which a parcel travels , rather than the temperature of the parcel itself ? • Environmental Lapse Rate (ELR) • Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR) • Moist Adiabatic Lapse Rate (MALR)
Moist adiabatic lapse rate ( MALR )
Which of the two adiabatic lapse rates cools more slowly with height due to the release of latent heat of condensation ? A)Dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR) B)Moist adiabatic lapse rate (MALR)
Dew point temperature
Which parameter below provides the best measure of the actual amount of water vapor in the air? -Temperature -Temperature dew point spread -Relative humidity -Dew point temperature
Air parcels are affected by diabatic heating but for a much shorter time period so the impact is minor .
Why isn't an air parcel affected by all the diabatic heating processes that impact the ELR ? • Air parcels are self-insulated by a thin layer of nitrogen mixed with some oxygen and a small amount of argon. • Air parcels are protected by a thin layer of polycarbon that insulate them from diabatic heating. • Air parcels are affected by diabatic heating but for a much shorter time period so the impact is minor.
changes quickly over a relatively short distance
Winds tend to change greatest with height over locations where the thickness: -changes quickly over a relatively short distance -remains nearly uniform with distance -changes slowly over a very long distance
cold side of the front (ahead of the front) Correct. With a warm front, the warm, moist air moves up and over the cold air leading to condensation and clouds out ahead of the surface front.
With respect to a warm front, most precipitation and poor weather is found on the: warm side of the front (behind the front) cold side of the front (ahead of the front) directly above the surface front
Pressure Gradient Force
which of the following forces causes wind?
southwest; west or northwest
wind direction will typically be from the ___________ ahead of the a cold front, and corm the _________ behind a cold front.
