ATOC150 CU Boulder Exam #3
A forecaster will use a prognostic chart for guidance in preparing a forecast, but will also rely on personal experience and a knowledge of local features that can affect the weather a) True b) False
a
A line of thunderstorms that forms ahead of an advancing cold front is called a ____. a) squall line b) wall cloud c) gust front d) dry line
a
A network of more than 100 Doppler radar units covers nearly all of the 48 contiguous United States a) True b) False
a
A relatively narrow downburst, less than four kilometers wide, is called a ____. a. microburst b. macroburst c. funnel cloud d. mesocyclone
a
A tornado cloud that does not touch the ground is called a ____. a) funnel cloud b) wall cloud c) roll cloud d) mesocyclone
a
A weather watch would most likely be issued for which condition? a. There is a chance for tornadoes today. b. Severe thunderstorms have been spotted in the forecast area. c. Currently, extremely high winds have been observed at mountain summits. d. A tornado has been sighted at the outskirts of town
a
Continental polar air associated with a wintertime high pressure area will likely bring ____. a. freezing temperatures b. warm temperatures and rain c. cloudy skies and a rare winter thunderstorm d. a blizzard
a
Developing low pressure areas generally have ____ air near the surface and ____ air aloft. a. converging; diverging b. diverging; converging c. converging; converging d. diverging; diverging
a
During the winter, an air mass that moves into coastal sections of Oregon and Washington from the northwest would most likely be ____. a) mP b) mT c) cP d) cT
a
For a forecast to show ____, it should be better than one based solely on the current weather or the "normal" weather for a given region. a. skill b. accuracy c. chaos d. persistence
a
For a surface low to develop into a major storm system, the upper-level divergence of air must be ____ surface convergence of air. a. greater than b. less than c. equal to d. the same as
a
If lows and highs aloft are directly above lows and high at the surface, ____. a. the surface system would dissipate b. the surface system would intensify c. cyclogenesis will occur d. anticyclones will form
a
In a strong tornado, doubling the wind speed will quadruple its destructive potential a) True b) False
a
In some situations, individual thunderstorms may organize into a convective weather system that may be 1000times larger than an individual storm a) True b) False
a
One would expect a cP air mass to be ____. a) cold and dry b) cold and moist c) warm and dry d) warm and moist
a
Some mid-latitude cyclones may have calm winds at their center, similar to a hurricane's "eye" a) True b) False
a
Squall lines most often form ahead of a(n) ____ front. a. cold b. warm c. stationary d. occluded
a
Suppose that where you live is typically several degrees warmer in the middle of January than the rest of the month. If you forecast this "January thaw" for the middle of next January, you would have made a ____. a) climatological forecast b) persistence forecast c) forecast based on weather types d) statistical forecast
a
The coldest of all air masses is ____. a. cA b. mP c. cT d. cP
a
The general area where a tornado is likely to form can often be predicted up to ____ days in advance. a. 3 b. 7 c. 10 d. 14
a
The region of air between the cold and warm fronts of an open wave is known as the ____. a. warm sector b. frontal wave c. occlusion d. convergence
a
What type of weather front would be responsible for the following weather forecast?"Increasing cloudiness and warm today with the possibility of showers by this evening. Turning much colder tonight with southwesterly winds becoming gusty and shifting to the northwest." a) cold front b) warm front c) warm-type occluded front d) stationary front
a
When the air is dry, tornadoes can remain invisible until they reach the ground and pick up dust a) True b) False
a
numerical weather prediction: a. The routine daily forecasting of weather by the computer using mathematical equations. b. The process of integrating surface and upper-air observations of temperature , pressure, moisture, winds, and air density are fed into equations at regular intervals. c. A mathematical model consisting of many equations that describe how atmospheric temperature, pressure, winds, and moisture will change with time. d. A final forecast chart made by assimilating data into models repeatedly until a representation of the atmosphere at a specified future time can be made. e. A final chart created by thousands of observations transmitted onto surface and upper-air charts to forecast weather patterns.
a
ribbon lightning: a. forms when wind moves the ionized channel between each return stroke, causing the lightning to appear like it's hanging from the cloud b. forms when either the lightning flash occurs inside a cloud or intervening clouds obscure the flash c. when a dart leader moving toward the ground deviates from the original path taken by the stepped ladder, appearing crooked d. distant lightning that is seen but not heard on hot summer nights when the overhead sky is clear e. occurs when the lightning channel breaks up, or appears to break up
a
continental tropical (cT): a. Air masses that are hot and dry, and are responsible for heat waves of summer in the western half of the United States. b. Air masses that are extremely cold and dry and form over land. c. Air masses that are cold and moist, form over water, and are responsible for the cold, damp, and often wet weather along northeastern United States. d. Air masses that are cold and dry and form over land. e. Air masses are warm and humid, and are responsible for the hot, muggy weather that frequently plague the eastern United States in summer.
a
A chart that plots how air temperature has changed over the past five days at a given station is a(n) ____. a) sounding b) meteogram c) atmospheric model d) ensemble forecast
b
A downslope wind coming off a mountain will ____ in a nearby city affected by a strong polar high-pressure system. a. decrease snowfall b. increase the temperature c. decrease the temperature d. have no affect
b
A forecast method that compares past weather maps and weather patterns to those of the present is a(n) ____. a. persistence forecast b. analogue method c. trend method d. steady-state forecast
b
A nowcast is a weather forecast that extends for ____. a) 1-2 days b) usually not more than 6 hours c) 3 days or more d) 3 to 8 days
b
A probability forecast that calls for a "40% chance of rain" means that ____. a. there is a 40% chance that it will not rain within the forecast area b. there is a 40% chance that any random place in the forecast area will receive measurable rainfall c. it will rain on 40% of the forecast area d. it will rain 40% of the time over the forecast area
b
A stationary front does not move because winds on both sides of the front ____. a) are calm b) blow parallel to the front and in opposite directions c) blow away from the front and are of equal strength d) blow against each other and are of equal strength
b
A weather prediction for the United States based on El Niño events is an example of forecasting using ____. a. persistence b. teleconnections c. statistics d. probabilities
b
A weather warning indicates that ____. a) the atmospheric conditions are favorable for hazardous weather over a particular region b) hazardous weather is either imminent or actually occurring within the specified forecast area c) hazardous weather is likely to occur within the forecast area during the next 24 hours d) hazardous weather is frequently observed in a particular region
b
Although many thousands of weather observations are taken worldwide each day, what regions still have sparse observations? a) over high mountains and deep valleys b) over oceans and higher latitudes c) over oceans and high mountains d) over higher latitudes and deep valley
b
An accurate forecast ____. a) always shows skill b) may or may not show skill c) never shows skill d) requires complex computer equipment
b
An ensemble forecast is considered robust when the ____. a) weather situation is rather complicated b) progs match each other fairly well c) ensemble forecast chart looks like scrambled spaghetti d) progs have many different contour lines
b
As the electric potential near the ground increases during a thunderstorm, a positive charge current can move up pointed objects, such as masts of ships, producing a luminous halo or glow known as ____. a) red sprite b) St. Elmo's fire c) blue jet d) ball lightening
b
Because it is located at middle latitudes, the United States is only rarely affected by polar and tropical airmasses a) True b) False
b
Cold fronts that move into the United States from the east, or northeast, are called ____ fronts a) eastern b) back door c) stationary d) warm-type occluded
b
Compared to an mP air mass, an mT air mass is ____. a) warmer and drier b) warmer and moister c) colder and drier d) colder and moister
b
Cyclogenesis occurs frequently on the eastern slopes of the Rockies as a result of ____. a. occlusions b. compressional heating c. drylines d. convergence
b
Drylines typically occur in the ____. a) Pacific Northwest of the United States b) southern Great Plains of the United States c) northeastern United States d) southeastern United State
b
During a cold occlusion, the cold front forces the warm front to ____. a) become stationary b) rise off the ground c) move to the side d) dissipate
b
During a cold winter in which the Great Lakes are entirely covered by ice, lake-effect snows would be expected in extremely high frequencies and intensities a) True b) False
b
Even if distinctive features that might indicate a tornado are observed on radar, a tornado must be observed visually before a tornado warning is issued a) True b) False
b
Generally, the average speed of a warm front ____ the average speed of a cold front a) is about the same as b) is slower than c) is faster than d) varies compared to
b
Geographical features on the earth, such as mountain ranges, do not have much effect on the weather because the features are small compared to the thickness of the atmosphere a) True b) False
b
High pressure systems tend to move toward the region of greatest ____. a. barometric pressure b. surface pressure rise c. surface pressure drop d. visibility
b
If a tornado is rotating in a counterclockwise direction and moving toward the northeast, the strongest winds will be on its ____ side. a) southwestern b) southeastern c) northeastern d) northwester
b
Lake-effect snows are best developed around the Great Lakes during ____. a) early spring when moist, tropical air moves over the frozen lakes b) late fall and early winter when cold, dry polar air moves over the relatively warm water c) late fall and early winter when moist, polar air sweeps in from the east d) middle winter when the unseasonably warm air mass moves over the cold
b
Large-scale computer models would typically have ____ grid spacing compared to small-scale models a) shorter b) longer c) the same d) varied
b
Low-pressure areas tend to ____ before occluding and ____ after occluding. a) decelerate; accelerate b) accelerate; decelerate c) stop; accelerate d) decelerate; stop
b
Maritime air masses typically form over ____ and have _____ air. a) land; dry b) water; moist c) land; moist d) water; dry
b
Mid-latitude cyclonic storms and fronts tend to move in a direction that ____. a) cuts across the isobars in the cold air ahead of the warm front b) parallels the isobars in the warm air ahead of the cold front c) cuts across the isobars in the warm air ahead of the cold front d) parallels the isobars in the cold air ahead of the warm fro
b
Most cloud-to-ground lightning flashes consist of a single return stroke a) True b) False
b
Most computer models produce forecasts for only one grid point a) True b) False
b
Probability forecasts use climatological data that are typically averaged over ___ years. a. 2 b. 30 c. 10 d. 16
b
Source regions for air masses tend to be generally flat or of varied composition, and in an area of light winds dominated by surface high pressure a) True b) False
b
Stable atmospheric conditions usually result in good visibility a) True b) False
b
The air pressure normally ____ before a cold front passes and ____ after a cold front passes. a. drops; drops b. drops; rises c. rises; rises d. rises; drops
b
The forecast funnel outlines the steps used by forecasters to steer their attention from ____ scales and from____ time frames. a) large to smaller; long to shorter b) large to smaller; short to longer c) small to larger; short to longer d) small to larger; long to shorter
b
The forward progress of a warm front may be inhibited at night as a result of ____. a. warming of air behind the front b. radiational cooling c. overrunning d. a dryline
b
The least accurate forecast method of predicting the weather two days into the future during changeable weather conditions is usually the ____. a) trend method b) persistence forecast c) analogue method d) probability forecast
b
The so-called Tornado Belt, or Tornado Alley, of the United States is located ____. a) in Florida b) in the Central Plains c) in the middle Atlantic states d) along the Gulf Coast
b
The typical path of a winter mid-latitude cyclone is ____. a) westward or northwestwardb b) eastward or northeastwardc c) southward or southeastward d) southward or southwestward
b
Thunder is caused by ____. a) the collision between two thunderstorms with opposite electrical charge b) the rapid heating of air surrounding a lightning channel c) the explosion that occurs when + and - charge collide and neutralize each other d) turbulent wind motions inside the thunderstorm
b
Weather charts and maps are still plotted and analyzed entirely by hand a) True b) False
b
What is the best source region for an air mass? a. mountains with deep valleys and strong surface winds b. generally flat areas of uniform composition with light surface winds c. hilly with deep valleys and light winds d. generally flat area of uniform composition with strong surface winds
b
What is the most accurate description of the principle of a lightning rod? a) The lightning rod acts to discharge the thunderstorm b) The lightning rod intercepts the lightning and safely carries the lightning current around the object it protects c) Lightning rods have been used since the 1700s, but the principle of their operation is not known d) A positive charge induced in the lightning rod repels the negative charge in an approaching step
b
What type of air mass would be responsible for daily afternoon thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast of the United States? a. mP b. mT c. cP d. cT
b
What type of air mass would be responsible for hot, muggy summer weather in the eastern half of the United States? a. mP b. mT c. cP d. cT
b
What type of weather front would be responsible for the following weather forecast?"Increasing high cloudiness and cold this morning. Clouds increasing and lowering this afternoon with a chance of snow or rain tonight. Precipitation ending tomorrow morning. Turning much warmer. Winds from the south and becoming southwesterly tomorrow." a) cold front b) warm front c) stationary front d) cold-type occluded front
b
What weather system can grow to be as much as 1000 times larger in area than an ordinary cell thunderstorm, even large enough to cover an entire state? a) overshooting thunderstorm b) mesoscale convective complex c) derecho d) mesocyclone
b
When two air masses collide at a front, one air mass may be pushed upward by the other. This is because ____. a. one air mass is moving faster than the other b. one air mass is denser than the other c. pressure is falling in one air mass and rising in the other d. one of the air masses encounters topographical features on the ground
b
With a limited number of wind observations, tight spacing of height (above sea level) contour lines on a 500-mb chart may indicate areas of ____ winds. a) stationary b) stronger c) weaker d) variable
b
continental arctic (cA): a. Air masses that are hot and dry, and are responsible for heat waves of summer in the western half of the United States. b. Air masses that are extremely cold and dry and form over land. c. Air masses that are cold and moist, form over water, and are responsible for the cold, damp, and often wet weather along northeastern United States. d. Air masses that are cold and dry and form over land. e. Air masses are warm and humid, and are responsible for the hot, muggy weather that frequently plague the eastern United States in summer.
b
data assimilation: a. The routine daily forecasting of weather by the computer using mathematical equations. b. The process of integrating surface and upper-air observations of temperature , pressure, moisture, winds, and air density are fed into equations at regular intervals. c. A mathematical model consisting of many equations that describe how atmospheric temperature, pressure, winds, and moisture will change with time. d. A final forecast chart made by assimilating data into models repeatedly until a representation of the atmosphere at a specified future time can be made. e. A final chart created by thousands of observations transmitted onto surface and upper-air charts to forecast weather patterns.
b
street lightning: a. forms when wind moves the ionized channel between each return stroke, causing the lightning to appear like it's hanging from the cloud b. forms when either the lightning flash occurs inside a cloud or intervening clouds obscure the flash c. when a dart leader moving toward the ground deviates from the original path taken by the stepped ladder, appearing crooked d. distant lightning that is seen but not heard on hot summer nights when the overhead sky is clear e. occurs when the lightning channel breaks up, or appears to break up
b
A group of thunderstorms that develop next to one another, each in a different stage of development, is called a(n) ____. a. ordinary thunderstorm b. thunderstorm cluster c. multicell thunderstorm d. mature thunderstorm
c
A high pressure system that tends to persist in the same geographic location for many days is referred to as a____ high. a) static b) stationary c) blocking d) stable
c
A hook-shaped echo on a radar screen often indicates ____. a. a thunderstorm with very frequent lightning b. a developing hurricane c. the possible presence of a tornado-producing thunderstorm d. a rotating anvil cloud at the top of a thunderstorm
c
A small thunderstorm cloud blowing dust at the ground could warn of a severe hazard to aircraft. Why? a) This could be the first indication of a tornado b) This indicates that it is likely that hail will soon begin to fall c) This could indicate an intense downdraft or microburst d) The airplane could be struck by lightning
c
A weather forecast that predicts that future weather will be the same as present weather is called ____. a) a steady-state forecast b) the trend method c) a persistence forecast d) the analogue method
c
An ordinary cell thunderstorm ____. a) does not produce lightning or thunder b) has a tilted updraft and downdraft c) typically forms on warm, humid days d) does not produce hail
c
Doppler radar determines precipitation ____ by measuring changes in the ____ of the reflected radio wave. a) size; intensity b) velocity; intensity c) velocity; frequency d) size; frequency
c
Forecast models have a hard time predicting ____. a) temperature b) jet stream patterns c) precipitation d) surface pressur
c
In the Northern Hemisphere, winds for a cold front travel south or ____ before passing, shift directions while passing, and then travel ____ after passing. a) southeast; west or northwest b) southwest; south or southeast c) southwest; west or northwest d) southeast; south or southwest
c
In the United States, dryline thunderstorms are most common in ____. a) the Rocky Mountains b) the desert southwest c) the Great Plains d) California
c
Low pressure systems tend to move toward the region of greatest ____. a. barometric pressure b. surface pressure rise c. surface pressure drop d. visibility
c
Many flash floods, including those that occurred over parts of New England and the mid-Atlantic states duringJune 2006 and in Colorado's Big Thompson Canyon in July 1976, are the result of thunderstorms that ____. a) contain no lightning b) form in a dry air mass c) move slowly d) have weak or non-existent downdrafts
c
On a Doppler radar screen, a tornado might appear as a region of ____. a) low pressure b) intense precipitation c) rapidly changing wind directions d) intense lightning activity
c
Ordinary cell thunderstorms only last about one hour and begin to dissipate when ____. a) lightning neutralizes all the electrical charge in the cloud b) all the precipitation particles in the cloud turn to ice c) the downdraft spreads throughout the cloud and cuts off the updraft d) solar heating at the ground begins to decrease
c
Record breaking low temperatures are associated with which air mass? a. mT b. mP c. cP d. cT
c
Smaller grid spacing ____ the resolution of computer forecasting models. a. can decrease b. does not change c. can increase d. can vary
c
Surface pressure systems tend to move ____ the wind at the 500-mb level. a. at the same speed as b. much faster than c. in the same direction as d. in the opposite direction as
c
The greatest annual number of thunderstorms in the United States occurs in ____. a) the Ohio valley b) the Central Plains c) Florida d) Texas
c
The initial stage of an ordinary cell thunderstorm is the ____ stage. a. mature b. dissipating c. cumulus d. multicell
c
The leading edge of a thunderstorm's cold outflowing air is known as a ____. a) downburst b) squall line c) gust front d) dry line
c
The signal detected by a Doppler radar is a ____. a) microwave emitted by lightning b) sound wave produced by thunder c) microwave reflected by precipitation d) sound wave produced by wind she
c
Tornadic thunderstorms that form ahead of an advancing cold front most often travel from ____. a. north to south b. northwest to southwest c. southwest to northeast d. southeast to northwest
c
What does it mean when meteorologists say a model is "parameterized"? a) The model is approximated for specific points instead of being specified for broad b) The model is being predicted for specific points instead of being approximated for broad areas c) The model is approximated for broad areas instead of being predicted for specific points d) The model is being predicted for broad areas instead of being approximated for specific
c
What type of rotating cloud develops from a funnel cloud or tornado and extends beneath a severe thunderstorm? a. mammatus cloud b. roll cloud c. wall cloud d. suction vortices
c
What would you expect to observe during the passage of a gust front? a. Temperatures will drop and winds will die down. b. Temperatures will rise and winds will die down. c. Temperatures will drop and winds will become strong and gusty. d. Temperatures will rise and winds will become strong and gusty.
c
When a cold front passes, the lowest pressure reading at a station will occur ____ the front passes. a) just before b) just after c) just as d) three hours after
c
When caught in a thunderstorm in an open field, what action is best to take? a) Seek shelter under the nearest tree b) Lie down flat on the ground c) Crouch down as low as possible while minimizing contact with the ground d) Remove all metallic objects from your pockets
c
When upper-level divergence of air above a surface low exceeds the surface convergence of air, the surface air pressure will ____ and the storm itself will ____. a. increase; intensify b. increase; dissipate c. decrease; intensify d. decrease; dissipate
c
Which air mass forms over North America only in summer? a. mT b. mP c. cT d. cP
c
Which forecasting method assumes that weather systems will move in the same direction and at approximately the same speed as they have been moving? a. persistence forecast b. probability forecast c. steady-state (trend) forecast d. climatological forecast
c
atmospheric model: a. The routine daily forecasting of weather by the computer using mathematical equations. b. The process of integrating surface and upper-air observations of temperature , pressure, moisture, winds, and air density are fed into equations at regular intervals. c. A mathematical model consisting of many equations that describe how atmospheric temperature, pressure, winds, and moisture will change with time. d. A final forecast chart made by assimilating data into models repeatedly until a representation of the atmosphere at a specified future time can be made. e. A final chart created by thousands of observations transmitted onto surface and upper-air charts to forecast weather patterns.
c
forked lightning: a. forms when wind moves the ionized channel between each return stroke, causing the lightning to appear like it's hanging from the cloud b. forms when either the lightning flash occurs inside a cloud or intervening clouds obscure the flash c. when a dart leader moving toward the ground deviates from the original path taken by the stepped ladder, appearing crooked d. distant lightning that is seen but not heard on hot summer nights when the overhead sky is clear e. occurs when the lightning channel breaks up, or appears to break up
c
maritime polar (mP): a. Air masses that are hot and dry, and are responsible for heat waves of summer in the western half of the United States. b. Air masses that are extremely cold and dry and form over land. c. Air masses that are cold and moist, form over water, and are responsible for the cold, damp, and often wet weather along northeastern United States. d. Air masses that are cold and dry and form over land. e. Air masses are warm and humid, and are responsible for the hot, muggy weather that frequently plague the eastern United States in summer.
c
A rotating column of air that is connected to a cumuliform cloud over a large body of water is a ____. a) tornado outbreak b) roll cloud c) microburst d) waterspout
d
A supercell storm is a(n) ____. a. multicell thunderstorm that forms as a line of thunderstorms b. number of individual multicell thunderstorms that organize into a large convective weather system c. elongated, ominous-looking storm cloud that forms just behind a gust front d. intense long-lasting thunderstorm with a single violently rotating updraft
d
An air mass is characterized by similar properties of ____ and ____ in any horizontal direction at a given altitude. a. temperature; pressure b. pressure; winds c. pressure; humidity d. temperature; humidity
d
Beneath an intense thunderstorm, the downdraft may become localized so that it hits the ground and spreads horizontally in a radial burst of wind. This is called a(n) ____. a. dry line b. outflow boundary c. squall line d. downburst
d
Beyond about ____, computer prog forecast accuracy falls off rapidly due to the chaotic nature of the atmosphere. a. 2 hours b. 12 hours c. 2 days d. 7 days
d
For a surface storm system to intensify, the upper trough of low pressure must be located to the ____ of the surface low. a. north b. south c. east d. west
d
Forecasting large-scale weather events several days in advance is ____. a) rarely attempted b) generally done with near-perfect accuracy c) less accurate than forecasting the precise evolution and movement of small-scale, short-lived weather systems d) more accurate than forecasting the precise evolution and movement of small-scale, short-lived weather systems
d
If a mid-latitude cyclonic storm has moved from the southwest toward the northeast during the past six hours, the storm is likely to move toward the ____ during the next six hours. a) northwest b) southwest c) southeast d) northeast
d
If you see lightning and hear the thunder 15 seconds later, then the lightning stroke is about ____ miles away. a. 45 b. 15 c. 5 d. 3
d
In the polar front theory of a developing wave cyclone, the area of most intense weather is normally found to the ____ of the storm's center. a) northeast b) southwest c) southeast d) northwest
d
Mid-latitude cyclonic storms are better developed in the United States during the coldest months because the polar jet stream ____. a. is weakest in the winter b. moves farther north in the winter c. is shut down in the winter d. moves farther south in the winter
d
More tornadoes are being reported in recent decades because ____. a) of global warming b) an increase in deaths have occurred each year c) more people have spent time outdoors in recent years d) tornado-spotting technology has improv
d
Most tornadoes have winds that are ____. a) greater than 500 knots b) greater than 220 knots c) between 125 and 220 knots d) less than 125 knot
d
Occasionally, an elongated ominous-looking cloud forms just behind a gust front. This type of cloud, which appears to slowly spin about a horizontal axis, is called a ____. a. downburst b. shelf cloud c. wall cloud d. roll cloud
d
The Enhanced Fujita scale pertains to the ____. a. size of a tornado producing thunderstorm b. amount of hail that falls from a mature thunderstorm c. size of the thunderstorm image on a radar screen d. wind speed of a tornado
d
The downdraft in an ordinary cell thunderstorm is created mainly by ____. a) the melting of snow in the anvil b) electrical attraction between the cloud and ground c) the release of latent heat as water in the cloud freezes d) evaporating raindrops that make the air cold and he
d
The forecasting technique that produces several versions of a forecast model, each beginning with slightly different weather information to reflect errors in the measurements, is called ____ forecasting. a) climatology b) probability c) persistence d) ensemble
d
The majority of lightning strikes occur ____. a) from a cloud to the ground b) from one cloud to another cloud c) from a cloud to the surrounding air d) within a cloud
d
The top of a thunderstorm is normally ____ charged, and the middle and lower parts are ____ charged. a. negatively; negatively b. negatively; positively c. positively; positively d. positively; negatively
d
What is the origin of the cP and cA air masses that enter the United States? a) Northern Siberia b) the northern Atlantic Ocean c) Antarctica d) Northern Canada and Alaska
d
What type of air mass would be responsible for hot, dry summer weather in southern Arizona? a. mP b. mT c. cP d. cT
d
Which instrument measures the speed at which precipitation is moving toward or away from an antenna? a. radiosonde b. anemometer c. wind psychrometer d. Doppler radar
d
Which statement about tornadoes is correct? a. All tornadoes rotate in a counterclockwise direction. b. Tornadoes never strike the same place twice. c. All tornadoes make a distinctive roar. d. The United States has more tornadoes than any other country in the world.
d
You are generally safe inside an automobile during a lighting storm because ____. a. the car's radio antenna will act as a lightning rod b. the rubber tires insulate you from the ground c. metal cars do not become electrically charged d. the metal car body will carry the lightning current around the passengers inside
d
continental polar (cP): a. Air masses that are hot and dry, and are responsible for heat waves of summer in the western half of the United States. b. Air masses that are extremely cold and dry and form over land. c. Air masses that are cold and moist, form over water, and are responsible for the cold, damp, and often wet weather along northeastern United States. d. Air masses that are cold and dry and form over land. e. Air masses are warm and humid, and are responsible for the hot, muggy weather that frequently plague the eastern United States in summer.
d
heat lightning: a. forms when wind moves the ionized channel between each return stroke, causing the lightning to appear like it's hanging from the cloud b. forms when either the lightning flash occurs inside a cloud or intervening clouds obscure the flash c. when a dart leader moving toward the ground deviates from the original path taken by the stepped ladder, appearing crooked d. distant lightning that is seen but not heard on hot summer nights when the overhead sky is clear e. occurs when the lightning channel breaks up, or appears to break up
d
prognostic chart: a. The routine daily forecasting of weather by the computer using mathematical equations. b. The process of integrating surface and upper-air observations of temperature , pressure, moisture, winds, and air density are fed into equations at regular intervals. c. A mathematical model consisting of many equations that describe how atmospheric temperature, pressure, winds, and moisture will change with time. d. A final forecast chart made by assimilating data into models repeatedly until a representation of the atmosphere at a specified future time can be made. e. A final chart created by thousands of observations transmitted onto surface and upper-air charts to forecast weather patterns.
d
analysis: a. The routine daily forecasting of weather by the computer using mathematical equations. b. The process of integrating surface and upper-air observations of temperature , pressure, moisture, winds, and air density are fed into equations at regular intervals. c. A mathematical model consisting of many equations that describe how atmospheric temperature, pressure, winds, and moisture will change with time. d. A final forecast chart made by assimilating data into models repeatedly until a representation of the atmosphere at a specified future time can be made. e. A final chart created by thousands of observations transmitted onto surface and upper-air charts to forecast weather patterns.
e
bead lightning: a. forms when wind moves the ionized channel between each return stroke, causing the lightning to appear like it's hanging from the cloud b. forms when either the lightning flash occurs inside a cloud or intervening clouds obscure the flash c. when a dart leader moving toward the ground deviates from the original path taken by the stepped ladder, appearing crooked d. distant lightning that is seen but not heard on hot summer nights when the overhead sky is clear e. occurs when the lightning channel breaks up, or appears to break up
e
maritime tropical (mT): a. Air masses that are hot and dry, and are responsible for heat waves of summer in the western half of the United States. b. Air masses that are extremely cold and dry and form over land. c. Air masses that are cold and moist, form over water, and are responsible for the cold, damp, and often wet weather along northeastern United States. d. Air masses that are cold and dry and form over land. e. Air masses are warm and humid, and are responsible for the hot, muggy weather that frequently plague the eastern United States in summer.
e
