Exam 3 - Weather and Climate

tropical cyclones can be short or long-lived storms. Using the figure of hurricane Ike, how long was the storm rated a hurricane

10 days

in the graphic model of a mature midlatitude cyclones below, select the number associated with the location of the warm front

2

in the graphic model of a midlatitude cyclones below, select the number associated with coldest surface air temperatures

2

fill in the blanks the dry climates (group B) have less precipitation than evaporation. Dry climate zones cover about ___ percent of the world's land area.

26 twenty six

How much carbon is released each day from all of the world's one billion automobiles?

3 million tons

What amount of carbon dioxide do human's release today?

30 billion tons

climograph represent averages weather data for what duration of time

30 years

if we begin our journey at the coast (0 meters) where it is 26 degrees Celsius, what will the temperature be when we reach the upper limit of the Tierra Fria zone at 3000 meters if we use the ELR

6.5 degrees Celsius

which location corresponds with a humid subtropical climate type

A

What contains an equivalent amount of carbon as a gallon of gasoline?

A 5-pound bag of charcoal briquettes

direct strike

A person struck directly by lightning becomes a part of the main lightning discharge channel. Most often, direct strikes occur to victims who are in open areas. Direct strikes are not as common as the other ways people are struck by lightning, but they are potentially the most deadly. In most direct strikes, a portion of the current moves along and just over the skin surface (called flashover) and a portion of the current moves through the body--usually through the cardiovascular and/or nervous systems. The heat produced when lightning moves over the skin can produce burns, but the current moving through the body is of greatest concern. While the ability to survive any lightning strike is related to immediate medical attention, the amount of current moving through the body is also a factor.

side flash

A side flash (also called a side splash) occurs when lightning strikes a taller object near the victim and a portion of the current jumps from taller object to the victim. In essence, the person acts as a "short circuit" for some of energy in the lightning discharge. Side flashes generally occur when the victim is within a foot or two of the object that is struck. Most often, side flash victims have taken shelter under a tree to avoid rain or hail.

consider the climograph. which month averages the most rainfall?

August

Which location corresponds with a hot semi-arid climate type

B

which location corresponds with a Mediterranean climate type

C

What Paleoclimatologists seek to explain ?

Cimate variations for all parts of the Earth during any given geologic period

Which Mexico cities have an arid (desert) climate

Ciudad Juarez (32*N)

which location corresponds with a hot desert climate type?

D

Why human health is vulnerable to climate change?

Due heat stress, an increase in waterborne diseases, poor air quality, and diseases transmitted by insects and rodents

Which Milankovitch parameter seems to be a factor evidenced in the Vostok ice core?

Eccentricity

which location corresponds with a subarctic climate type

F

Mexico has 7 main climate regions, which city has tropical wet-and-dry

Guadalajara (21*N)

Which location is warmer in the month of August (A)?

Houston, Texas

which location experiences greater temperature variability over a year?

Houston, Texas

Why has the earth experienced natural climate change?

In cycles of tens or often hundreds of thousands of years, the earth's tilt and its orbit around the sun gradually change. These natural changes have contributed to dramatic shifts in earth's climate.

example of forces that shape the atmospheric conditions in each of these parts of the world

In the Sahara, high pressure combined with its tropical location allows for more solar radiation to reach the ground and heat it throughout the year

A positive-feedback mechanism is one that ______________ the conditions or system output.

Increases

conduction

Lightning can travel long distances in wires or other metal surfaces. Metal does not attract lightning, but it provides a path for the lightning to follow. Most indoor lightning casualties and some outdoor casualties are due to conduction. Whether inside or outside, anyone in contact with anything connected to metal wires, plumbing, or metal surfaces that extend outside is at risk. This includes anything that plugs into an electrical outlet, water faucets and showers, corded phones, and windows and doors.

which location experiences a near absence of rain during the northern hemisphere winter months (D-M)

Mangalore, India

How can increased carbon dioxide uptake, or carbon sequestration, by global forests change earth's climate?

Net global forest growth removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus cooling the earth's climate.

The highest frequency of tornadoes in the US occurs in the

Oklahoma

Based on the long-term hurricane data and the figure, what is the dare with the most storms

September 10

Hurricane Ike made multiple landfalls. Which US state was first impacted directly

Texas

Which of the following is a correct statement describing the above figures?

The relationship between the Keeling Curve (CO2 levels) correspond very closely with increases in the global temperature.

certain agricultural crops do better in certain altitudinal zones. in which zones does corn grow well a) Tierra Caliente b) Tierra Templada c) Tierra Fria d) Tierra Helada e) Tierra Nevada

Tierra Caliente Tierra Templada Tierra Fria

ground current

When lightning strikes a tree or other object, much of the energy travels outward from the strike in and along the ground surface. This is known as the ground current. Anyone outside near a lightning strike is potentially a victim of ground current. In addition, ground current can travels in garage floors with conductive materials. Because the ground current affects a much larger area than the other causes of lightning casualties, the ground current causes the most lightning deaths and injuries.Ground current also kills many farm animals. Typically, the lightning enters the body at the contact point closest to the lightning strike, travels through the cardiovascular and/or nervous systems, and exits the body at the contact point farthest from the lightning. The greater the distance between contact points, the greater the potential for death or serious injury. Because large farm animals have a relatively large body-span, ground current from a nearby lightning strike is often fatal to livestock.

Streamers

While not as common as the other types of lightning injuries, people caught in "streamers" are at risk of being killed or injured by lightning. Streamers develop as the downward-moving leader approaches the ground. Typically, only one of the streamers makes contact with the leader as it approaches the ground and provides the path for the bright return stroke; however, when the main channel discharges, so do all the other streamers in the area. If a person is part of one of these streamers, they could be killed or injured during the streamer discharge even though the lightning channel was not completed between the cloud and the upward streamer.

What are the two major factors in the study of both ancient and present-day climatic conditions of the Earth ?

a Changes in astronomy, atmospheric physics factors b Changes observed with satellite and instrumental data c Changes in the relationship between the Earth and the Sun and the changes in the surface of the planet itself d Only changes in the surface of the planet

What best describes the Milankovitch cycle?

a cyclical movement related to the Earth's orbit around the Sun

what is a tropical cyclone

a low-pressure disturbance that develops over warm, tropical waters

A cool and moist air mass associated with a coast a) mP - Maritime polar b) mT - Maritime tropical c) cA - Continental arctic d) cP - Continental polar e) cT - Continental tropical

a) mP - Maritime Polar

How would abrupt changes in climate, such as harsh summers with low rainfall for multiple years, affect people? Select all of the likely effects:

aAlter crops being grown and reduce food security bShift the dominant plant types growing in a region cLimit availability to water for some areas dIncrease energy demands for cooling buildings

why is warm, moist air considered the "fuel" for a hurricane

air cools as it rises. as air cools, water vapor will condense out as liquid water. condensation releases heat, providing energy to the hurricane

Orographic lifting is

air forced to rise over a barrier, such as a mountain range

fill in the blanks two of the most important factors determining an area's climate are ___ and ___

air temperature/temperature precipitation

tundra climates

are found at both high latitudes and high altitudes

Most warm air masses affecting North America

are moist

what are climate zones

areas that are divided by precipitation and temperature

A warm and moist airmass associated with a coast a) mP - Maritime polar b) mT - Maritime tropical c) cA - Continental arctic d) cP - Continental polar e) cT - Continental tropical

b) mT - Maritime tropical

which of the following is NOT a factor in the development of urban heat islands a) sky view factor b) setting aside of "open space" c) point and mobile sources of heat and pollution d) increasing population and construction e) paving of land for city streets

b) setting aside of "open space"

which of these climate controls would most likely to have the fastest impact on climate change a- movement of continents due to plate tectonics b- urban heat islands c- change of the earth's tilt d- earth's rotation slowing down with days getting longer e- all of the above would cause the climate to respond in an equal time frame

b- urban heat islands

Why major eruptions alter the Earth's radiative balance ?

because volcanic aerosol clouds absorb terrestrial radiation and scatter a significant amount of the incoming solar radiation, an effect known as "radiative forcing" that can last from two to three years following a volcanic eruption.

Dust in the Vostok ice core seems to increase in association with: A Colder temperatures and ice ages b Warmer temperatures and interglacial (non Ice age) periods c Due to a stronger Polar Front jet stream d Both A and C e Both B and C

both A and C

Ratios of 16O/18O typically increase: As one moves closer to the equator b As one moves close to the poles c As conditions grow colder d As conditions grow warmer e Both B and C f Both A and D

both B and C

How human activities contribute to climate change?

by causing changes in Earth's atmosphere in the amounts of greenhouse gases, aerosols

You meet someone in another class who expresses skepticism about climate change and global warming. The student explains that weather in their area has been the coolest they can remember that season. Using what you've learned from the climate change chapter, select all the replies that would be accurate to share with your classmate.

c"Global warming" means that the average global temperature is increasing. It doesn't mean that temperatures everywhere are hotter. dWeather and climate are different. Cooler weather in one location does not mean the global climate is also cooler.

A very cold and very dry airmass located over land a) mP - Maritime polar b) mT - Maritime tropical c) cA - Continental arctic d) cP - Continental polar e) cT - Continental tropical

c) cA - Continental arctic

which of the following is not true of tropical and subtropical hot desert climates a) they are generally found on the western side of continents b) in some areas, such as the Sahel, desert conditions are expanding c) in most years, they do not receive any precipitation d) annual average temperatures are above 18*C (64.4*F) e) they are under the influence of subtropical high pressure systems

c) in most years, they do not receive any precipitation

the future effects of climate change can be modeled in shifting climate coverage. All of the following trends can be observed in the gif above except for: ___ a) there is a reduction in the amount of land with continental or polar climate types b) generally tropical and temperate climate types will extend to higher latitudes c) polar regions will shift to arid climate types d) depending on human action of ghg emissions - the actual scenario we experience could be better or worse than that modeled here

c) polar regions will shift to arid climate types

which is the coldest air mass?

cA

During the summer months, which is the warmest air mass?

cT

fill in the blanks when scientists talk about ___, they're often looking at averages of precipitation, temperature, humidity, sunshine, wind, and other measures of weather that occur over a long period in a particular place. In some instances, they might look at these averages over ___ years. And, we refer to these three-decade averages of weather observations as Climate ___.

climate 30 Normals

what climate characteristics is the polar climate group most likely to have

cold and dry

what is defined as the measure of the degree to which a region's climate typifies that of an interior of a large landmass

continentality

Summer afternoon thundershowers in the southeastern US are more than likely a result of

convection lifting

tropical rainforest climates are produced by

converging air near the equator

The climate each year over the past few hundred years for a small island located in the Pacific Ocean near the equator:

coral coral reef

midlatitude cyclones in the US rotate in which direction?

counterclockwise

which statement best describes why there are so many more tornadoes since the 1990s a) population increases result in more tornadoes reported than before b) technology allows for easier spotting with radar and easier confirmation with smartphones c) temperatures are cooling resulting in more violent weather events d) A and B only e) All of the above

d) A and B only a) population increases result in more tornadoes reported than before b) technology allows for easier spotting with radar and easier confirmation with smartphones

factors in a climate change include: a) natural changes b) human-induced changes c) long-term changes in weather that occur over a number of years d) all of the above e) none of the above

d) all of the above

which of the following is an example of an anthropogenic (human-caused) climate control a) urban heat islands b) changes in natural vegetation c) air pollution d) all of the above e) none of the above

d) all of the above

which of the following statements about midlatitudes cyclones are correct? a) the cold front advances faster than the center of the storm, and the warm front advances more slowly than the center b)surface winds move counterclockwise c) the entire cyclone moves from west to east d) all of the above

d) all of the above

why are nocturnal (nighttime) tornadoes so dangerous? a) many in danger are sleeping and unaware b) warning systems are inadequate c) twice as deadly as daytime due to response d) all of the above

d) all of the above

which of the following is an example of a(n) macro-scale climate control

distribution of oceans and continents

___ climates occupy the most extensive area of land on earth

dry

which of the following is true of the Mediterranean climate

dry summers and wet winters

which of the following statements is true Altitudinal zonation makes it possible to grow many different types of crops b Altitudinal zonation strongly influences the plants (and crops) that grow there c Plants that grow well in the temperate midlatitudes (e.g. Nebraska) can also thrive in the tropics if grown at higher elevations d Elevation plays a major role in a region's climate e All are true

e) all are true

tropical monsoon climates a) have a dry season that persists for at least one month b)have high average annual rainfall c) are produced by the movement of the ITCZ d) are most common along tropical coasts e) all of the above

e) all of the above

A warm and dry air mass located over land. a) mP - Maritime polar b) mT - Maritime tropical c) cA - Continental arctic d) cP - Continental polar e) cT - Continental tropical

e) cT - Continental tropical

which of the following would best be described as a climatic event a) hurricane b) blizzard c) drought d) earthquake e) none of the above are climatic events

e) none of the above are climatic events

What are the three cyclical movements related to Earth's orbit regards to the Milankovitch theory?

eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession

what is the condition of outside air at a certain time and place

elements of weather

The scale that correlates wind speed and structural damage in a tornado is the

enhanced Fujita scale

Broadly define where the majority of Tropical climates are located suing the figure

equatorial regions

which part of a hurricane consists of dry, descending air

eye

When a cold air front moves rapidly toward a warm air font, there isn't time to predict the light and longer-lasting rains that result from the warm air dissipating

false

longer lasting rainstorms occur when a cold front encounters a receding warm air front

false

the only source of flooding related to a hurricane is from excessive rainfall

false

What analyzing the ratio of oxygen-16 to oxygen-18 recorded in rocks, fossils, ice and sediments help the scientist find?

find evidence of the climate at the time they were formed.

the temperature curve on the climograph of a tropical rainforest climate will typically

fluctuate only slightly around 80*F during the year

fill in the blanks midlatitude or _____ cyclones are large traveling atmospheric cyclone storms up to 2000 km (1250 mi) in diameter with centers of low atmospheric pressure.

frontal extratropical wave

Today's landscape gives clues to the climate of the past, what is an example of signs of their activity?

glaciers

type of climate is normally located along leeward and lower east coast continents such as southeast and central Argentina, Uruguay, and south of Brazil, the southeast portions of east Asia, the southern US, South Africa, and eastern Australia

humid subtropical hot-summer climate

fill in the blanks Tropical storms officially become a ___ when their sustained wind speed exceeds 119 kph (74 mph)

hurricane cyclone typhoon Baguio hurricanes cyclones typhoons Baguio's tropical cyclone

which storm systems usually create the greatest damage?

hurricanes

The climate of Antarctica for the past 100,000 years:

ice cores

oxygen isotope analysis is most commonly preformed on which type of proxy data a- varves b- ice cores c- tree rings (dendrochronology) d-palynology e- all of the above

ice cores

locations with the greatest average annual temperature variability are usually

in the interior of continents in the mid-latitudes

wave cyclones are most common

in the mid-latitudes

in dendrochrology, the scientist wants to choose a tree that

is growing in an area that relies on precipitation for existence

The climate of the last 10,000 years in the southeastern United States - with several inland water bodies:

lake sediments

global circulation patterns of winds and ocean currents, which drive weather systems and, ultimately, climate patterns are created by

latitudinal energy imbalance between tropical and polar regions

in terms of obliquity, what characteristic is favorable to ice age formation A Greater tilt b Lesser tilt c Obliquity is NOT a factor in the development of ice ages

lesser tilt

which of the following is false regarding the tropical rain forest ecosystems? a) the soils are nutrient-poor b)very little light reaches the forest floor c)organic matter decomposes very rapidly d) low-growing vegetation is dense to the forest floor

low-growing vegetation is dense to the forest floor

where are tropical cyclones found

lower and middle latitudes

global source regions of air masses under Bergeron's classification based on humidity

m - maritime (moist) c - continental (dry) temperature: A - arctic AA - Antarctic P - polar T - Tropical E - Equatorial

A cold air mass originating over an ocean is designated

mP

an air mass that forms over the southernmost portions of the Pacific ocean (near Antarctica) would be a [?] air mass

mP - maritime polar This air mass is forming over water, and so it is a maritime air mass. Antarctica is located in the highest latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, and so this would be a polar air mass. The correct answer therefore is maritime Polar (mP).

what is true of the last 30 to 40 years in terms of climate change

major weather events appear to be getting more frequent and causing more damage

fill in the blanks the ___ climate is strongly influenced by the oceans, which maintain fairly steady temperatures across the seasons

maritime

The atmosphere over urban centers is an example of which atmospheric scale?

micro-scale

which climate type is considered an arid climate in which the total annual precipitation is less than half the annual potential evapotranspiration

midlatitude desert

what are midlatitude cyclones

migrating low-pressure cells that move in the band of the westerlies

dry climates are most common

near areas of sub-tropical high pressure

Globally, the average rainfall is highest

near the equator

Which Milankovitch parameter is on a 41,000 year cycle a_ obliquity b- precession of the equinoxes c- eccentricity d- none of the above

obliquity

match the following definitions to their appropriate term

occluded front: a transition zone in the atmosphere where an advancing cold air mass sandwiches a warm air mass between another cold air mass pushing the warm air into the upper atmosphere mesocyclone: a cylinder of cyclonically flowing air that for vertically inside a severe thunderstorm hurricane: an intense cyclonic storm consisting of an organized mass of thunderstorms that develops over the warm oceans of the tropics cold front: a transition zone in the atmosphere where an advancing cold air mass displaces a warm air mass Thunderstorm: a storm that typically ranges in size from several kilometers (several miles) to over 50 kilometers (30 miles) in the diameter created by the rapid lifting of moist warm air which creates a cumulonimbus cloud warm front: a transition zone in the atmosphere where an advancing warm air mass displaces a cold air mass updraft: upward movement of air in the atmosphere storm surge: relatively rapid rise in the height of the ocean along a coastline

what is occlusion in a midlatitude cyclone

occlusion is the process by which a cold front overtakes a warm front

what exhibits such a large variety of both spatial and temporal scales

ocean atm. pressure atm wind

The climate of the North Atlantic Ocean for the past million years:

ocean sediments

characteristics of synoptic scale A Spanning smaller distances, a few hundred to a few thousand kilometers b possessing shorter lifetimes, a few to several days c contains the migrating cyclones and anticyclones d Two of the best-known examples of synoptic phenomena are the thunderstorm and its devastating by-product, the tornado e All the above are correct f Only A, B, and C are correct

only A, B, and C are correct

a rain shadow is most often associated with which atmospheric lifting mechanism?

orographic

The scientific study of the climatic conditions of past geologic ages

paleoclimatology

fill in the blanks ___ climates are found across the continents that border the ___ ocean, ___, and ___

polar Arctic Greenland Antarctica

"cold and dry" temperature and precipitation patterns are characteristics of

polar climates

which Milankovitch parameter is a non-factor when our earth is near-circular in form A Colder temperatures and ice ages b Warmer temperatures and interglacial (non Ice age) periods c Due to a stronger Polar Front jet stream d Both A and C e Both B and C

precession of the equinoxes

how are rain patterns different near warm and cold fronts

rain near a cold front occurs over a smaller spatial area and is more intense than near a warm front

where does rain occur in a warm front

rain occurs along and in front of a warm front

"hot and wet" temperature and precipitation patterns are characteristics of

rainforests in the equatorial tropics

why does rain occur near a cold front

rising warm air cools, resulting in cloud formation and rain

if earth had less axial tilt, what would the affect be on our seasons

seasons would have lesser variability

an example of planetary-scale

semi permanent pressure centers

from the graph, which of the following weather events appears to be occurring with greater frequency and causing the greater damage a) tropical cyclones b) flooding c) wildfires d) winter storms e) severe storms

severe storms

a climograph

shows the monthly precipitation and temperature for a location

fill in the blanks ___ is an increase in the height of the ocean's surface in the region beneath and around the eye of a hurricane

storm surge surge

what type of climate is only found in the Northern Hemisphere because there is not large landmass at the same latitude in the Sothern Hemisphere

subarctic

in the US, mid-latitude cyclone development is usually the result of

the interaction of cP and mT air masses

in the US, midlatitude cyclone development is usually the result of

the interaction of cP and mT air masses

climate is

the long-term atmospheric condition including extremes that may occur

climates may best be defined as

the prevailing set of weather conditions at a place over a number of years

palynology involves

the study of pollen

tropical cyclones do not form exactly on the equator because

there is no Coriolis Force at the Equator

Tropical cyclones do not form exactly on the Equator because

there is no Coriolis force at the Equator

fill in the blanks the highest number of tornadoes in the US occurs in the southern plains, south of Lake Michigan, and west central Florida. This region of the US is known as ___ ___.

tornado alley

The climate for each year over the past 200 years in the heavily vegetated northwest United States:

tree rings

fill in the blanks the ___ desert is an environment of extremes: it is the driest and hottest place on earth

tropical

fill in the blanks ___ climates are found mainly around the ___. They have high ___ and lots of ___ throughout the year. Conditions thus are very humid. Because these climates provide plenty of heat and water, they are lush in vegetation and animal life

tropical equator temperature rain

what was the first stage of hurricane Ike (and most tropical cyclones)

tropical depression

which climate has the highest mean annual temperature of any climate on earth

tropical desert

during this stage, there is little to no rotation associated with the storm

tropical disturbance

this climograph is a characteristic of which climate type

tropical monsoon

unlike the rest of the continental US, South Florida is mostly classified as Am or

tropical monsoon

this climograph is a characteristic of which climate type

tropical rain forest

Storms are given a name once they exceed 38 mph sustained winds during this stage

tropical storm

all of the following names refer to tropical cyclones: cyclone, typhoon, hurricane, willy willy

true

in addition to the dangers of flooding and wind speed from the hurricanes, tornadoes are also commonly associated with hurricanes

true

rainstorms are generally shorter when a cold air front comes in quickly and collides with a warm air front

true

violent weather are more commonly associated with a cold front

true

when warm air collides with a cold air front, its slow journey up the slope of the cold air font causes longer rains

true

Currently, Polaris is our "North Star". According to Milankovitch theory, which star will be our "North Star" in the future?

vega

fill in the blanks tornadoes that travel across lakes or oceans are called ___

waterspouts

What is a set of conditions in the atmosphere in one location for a limited period of time

weather

what happens when air masses of different temperatures meet

well-defined boundaries form between the air masses

when do midlatitude cyclones stop producing storms

when the cold front has completely taken over the warm front

interpret the Am climograph for Miami, FL. which of the following best describes the expected climate?

winters are modestly cooler (~10-15 degrees) than summers and precipitation is limited during the winter months