1 Flashcards
- __________ is defined as the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time.
weather
- Climate is defined as weather conditions at some locality averaged over a standard period of _____ years.
30 years
- The climate of some locality governs
a. the type of crops that can be cultivated.
b. the fresh water supply.
c. the average heating and cooling requirements for homes.
d. All of the above are correct.
d. All of the above are correct.
- Depending on local topography, the maximum range of broadcasts of the NOAA weather radio is about ____________ kilometers.
a. 65
b. 100
c. 20
d. 30
65
- ____________ is used to describe the weight of the overlying air.
a. Relative humidity
b. Dewpoint
c. Pressure
d. Temperature
Pressure
- __________ pressure systems are usually accompanied by fair weather and __________ pressure systems are usually accompanied by stormy weather.
a. High……………low
b. Low……………high
High —–low
- ____________ is (are) typically found near the center of a high pressure system.
a. Strong winds
b. Light winds or calm air
c. Rainy weather
d. Lightning
Light winds or calm air
- Viewed from above in the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds in a low pressure system blow
a. clockwise and inward.
b. clockwise and outward.
c. counterclockwise and inward.
d. counterclockwise and outward.
Counterclockwise and inward
- From your experience, weather systems usually cross the coterminous United States in
a. less than an hour.
b. several days.
c. one to two months.
d. several years.
Several days
- Weather systems in the middle latitudes of the Earth generally move in the direction towards the
a. east.
b. south.
c. west.
d. north.
east
- Viewed from above in the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds blow ___________ about the center of a high pressure system.
a. clockwise and outward
b. clockwise and inward
c. counterclockwise and outward
d. counterclockwise and inward
clockwise and outward
- Air temperatures tend to be relatively low to the ___________ of a low pressure system.
a. east and south
b. north and west
north and west
- As a general rule, lows that track from west to east across southern Canada produce ___________ precipitation compared to lows that track along the Gulf of Mexico coast.
a. more
b. less
c. about the same amount of
less
- An air mass is a huge volume of air that is relatively uniform horizontally in
a. temperature.
b. humidity.
c. Both of the above are correct.
both are correct
- A front is a narrow zone of transition between air masses that contrast in
a. temperature.
b. humidity.
c. Either or both of the above are correct.
either or both
- The temperature and moisture characteristics of an air mass depend on
a. the phase of the Moon.
b. the properties of the surface over which the air mass resides and travels.
c. conditions in the upper atmosphere.
d. None of the above is correct.
b. the properties of the surface over which the air mass resides and travels.
- Often associated with a front is (are)
a. cloudiness.
b. precipitation.
c. ascending air.
d. All of the above are correct.
all
- __________ fronts are associated with cloudiness and precipitation over a broad geographical area.
a. Cold
b. Warm
cold
- At the same humidity (water vapor concentration), a cold air mass is _________ a warm air mass.
a. denser than
b. less dense than
c. equally as dense as
denser than
- Most cloudiness and precipitation associated with a cold front occur as a relatively _________ band along or just ahead of where the front intersects Earth’s surface.
a. narrow
b. broad
narrow
- In North America, tornadoes are most common
a. along the U.S. East Coast.
b. along the U.S. Pacific Coast.
c. in the central United States.
d. in Alaska.
Central US
- The surface winds in a _________ pressure system bring contrasting air masses together to form fronts.
a. low
b. high
low
A horizontal wind is named for the direction ___________ the wind blows.
a. toward which
b. from which
from which
- Typically, the day’s ___________ temperature occurs around sunrise.
a. maximum
b. average
c. minimum
minimum
- Often the day’s highest air temperature and lowest relative humidity occur
a. around midnight.
b. near sunrise.
c. during early to mid-afternoon.
d. None of the above is correct.
*c. during early to mid-afternoon.
On average, 10 cm of freshly fallen snow melt down to _____ cm of liquid water.
a. 5
b. 10
c. 1.0
d. 0.1
1.0
A northeast wind blows from the __________ toward the __________.
a. southwest. . . . . . .northwest
b. southeast. . . . . . .northeast
c. northeast. . . . . . .southwest
d. west. . . . . . .east
Northeast ….southwest
The National Weather Service issues a weather __________ when hazardous weather is considered possible based on current or anticipated atmospheric conditions.
a. watch
b. warning
Watch
A geostationary satellite orbits Earth at a _________ altitude than a polar-orbiting satellite.
a. lower
b. higher
Higher
All other factors being equal, temperatures are _________ during clear nights.
coldest
All other factors being equal, an overcast sky _________ the day’s maximum temperature.
a. lowers
b. raises
c. has no effect upon
lower
- An infrared satellite image is more useful than a visible satellite image __________.
a. during daylight
b. at night
*b. at night
On an infrared satellite image, high clouds appear __________ low clouds.
a. brighter than
b. darker than
c. the same as
*a. brighter than
In the portion of the atmosphere where most clouds occur, the air temperature _________ with increasing altitude.
a. rises
b. drops
c. is constant
drops
Clouds appear on __________ satellite images.
a. visible
b. infrared
c. water vapor
d. All of the above are correct.
*d. All of the above are correct.
- Weather radar monitors the movement of
a. cloud particles.
b. precipitation.
*b. precipitation.
Meteorologists monitor the movement of plumes of water vapor at higher altitudes of the atmosphere using
a. ground-based radar.
b. water vapor satellite imagery.
c. visible satellite imagery.
water vapor satellite
On a water vapor satellite image, dry air is indicated by
a. areas of black.
b. areas of gray.
c. areas of bright white.
areas of black
Weather radar emits pulses of __________ energy that are reflected by precipitation particles (e.g., raindrops, snowflakes).
a. radio
b. visible
c. infrared
d. microwave
*d. microwave
- Weather radar utilizes the _________ effect to monitor the motion of precipitation particles.
a. Coriolis
b. Doppler
c. tornado
d. dewpoint
*b. Doppler
- A cloud in contact with the Earth’s surface is known as
a. a cumuliform cloud.
b. fog.
c. a cirrus cloud.
d. a thunderstorm.
*b. fog.
Wispy-appearing clouds that occur at high altitudes are composed of mostly
a. tiny liquid water droplets.
b. tiny ice crystals.
c. methane.
d. solid carbon dioxide.
*b. tiny ice crystals.
- __________ clouds occur at relatively high altitudes and have a fibrous or wispy appearance.
a. Ice-crystal
b. Water-droplet
Ice crystal
Clouds that form as horizontal layers are described as
a. cumuliform.
b. fog.
c. stratiform.
d. ice-crystal clouds.
*c. stratiform.
Cumuliform clouds _________ form along or ahead of a cold front.
a. never
b. typically
c. always
typically
Clouds located at different altitudes __________ move in the same direction indicating __________ in the horizontal wind direction with altitude.
a. always. . . . . . . a change
b. sometimes. . . . . . . no change
c. sometimes. . . . . . . a change
Sometimes
___________ usually indicate fair weather.
a. Scattered cumulus clouds
b. Stratiform clouds
Scattered cumulus clouds
- Cumulus clouds that exhibit considerable vertical growth are ___________ to produce precipitation.
a. likely
b. unlikely
*a. likely
- A thunderstorm cloud:
a. cumulus
b. cirrus
c. cumulonimbus
d. stratiform
*c. cumulonimbus
- __________ weather is usually associated with cumulonimbus clouds.
a. Fair
b. Stormy
stormy
