13. Geographic Skills

Question 1

What is weather?

Answer 1

Weather is the state of the atmosphere over an area at a particular time

Question 2

What are meteorologists?

Answer 2

Meteorologists study temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind and moisture to produced weather maps and charts.

Question 3

What are weather charts known as?

Answer 3

synoptic charts

Question 4

What is an isobar?

Answer 4

An isobar is a line on a weather map that connects points of equal atmospheric pressure.

Question 5

What units of measure are used to measure atmospheric pressure?

Answer 5

Millibars

Question 6

What are closely grouped isobars an indication of?

Answer 6

Closely grouped isobars are an indication of strong winds

Question 7

What are loosely spaced isobars an indication of?

Answer 7

loosely spaced isobars
results in slack or light winds.

Question 8

What is the most predominant wind in an area called?

Answer 8

Prevailing wind

Question 9

What are Ireland’s prevailing winds?

Answer 9

South westerlies

Question 10

What is an air mass?

Answer 10

An air mass is a large volume of air in the atmosphere that has consistent characteristics of temperature and moisture

Question 11

What are the main air masses that influence irelands weather called?

Answer 11

Polar Maritime, Artic Maritime, Tropical Maritime, Tropical Continental and Polar Continental

Question 12

What is a weather front?

Answer 12

A weather front is the boundary zone between two air masses:

Question 13

What is a warm front?

Answer 13

– occurs where a warm air mass is advancing and it is forced to rise above the cold air mass in front of it. Brings steady, continuous rain or drizzle.
- Semi-circular shapes on weather map

Question 14

What is a cold front?

Answer 14

occurs where a cold air mass is advancing and pushes under the warm air mass in front of it. Brings heavy rain showers/downpours.
- Triangular shapes on weather maps

Question 15

What is an occluded front?

Answer 15

– occurs where a cold front overtakes a warm air mass and pushes it upwards so that there is no warm air remaining at ground level.
- both semicircular and triangular shapes on weather map

Question 16

Lines on a weather map joining places of equal pressure

Answer 16

Isobars

Question 17

Lines on a weather map joining places of equal temperature

Answer 17

Isotherms

Question 18

Lines on a weather map joining places of equal sunshine

Answer 18

Isohels

Question 19

Lines on a weather map joining places of equal sunshine

Answer 19

Isohyets

Question 20

Lines on a weather map joining places of equal wind speed

Answer 20

Isotachs

Question 21

Lines on a weather map joining places of equal cloud cover

Answer 21

Isonephs

Question 22

What does a capital H stand for on a weather chart?

Answer 22

High pressure system or anticyclone

Question 23

Characteristics of summer anticyclones

Answer 23

1. Few or no clouds.
   Strong sunshine will make it hot
2. Light winds
3. Cooling of ground leading to morning mist
4. Warm moist air rising from the ground forming thunderstorms

Question 24

Characteristics of winter anticyclones

Answer 24

1. Cloudless skies
2. Temperature drop, making the days cold and the nights even colder due to lack of cloud cover
3. Fog and frost forming at night

Question 25

What does a capital L stand for on a weather map?

Answer 25

Low pressure system or depression

Question 26

What do low pressure systems bring?

Answer 26

• Windy and unsettled weather
  • Cloudy conditions
  • Periods of heavy rain and
  inclement/changeable bad weather.
  Winter snow
  •Fronts are associated with cyclones or
  depressions