9 Flashcards
Stationary Storm systems centered somewhere over the open sea are capable of creating large waves worth heights measuring?
Over 31 m (100ft)
On the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, chinook winds are driest when
Clouds form and precipitation falls on the upwind side of the mountains
Chinook winds are typically found in the interior of North America where Canadian prairies and the Great Plains parallel mountain ranges. The winds can be described as ?
Warm, dry, downslope air
In south Florida the prevailing winds are ________ because of this the strongest sea breeze is usually observed on Florida’s east coast, and the ______ land breeze on floridas west coast
Northeasternly, strongest
The quietest time of day, with least wind usually occurs during the _______, when thermal turbulence above the surface is normally at a minimum
Early morning
Clear air turbulence often occurs near ?
A boundary of high wind shear
The difference in surface wind speed between morning and afternoon is typically greater on a ??
A Clear sunny day rather than a cloudy overcast day
T/F: micro scale circulations range from a few kilometers to about a hundred kilometers in diameter
False
A wind rose indicates ?
The percentage of time that the wind blows from different directions
T/F: Santa Ana winds are warmed by compression as they flow down an elevated desert plateau .
True
A sea or land breeze is caused by ?
Temperature differences
Phenomena on the ________ scale can span over 1000s kilometers and last for many days. Mid-latitude cyclones, hurricanes, and fronts are examples of this scale of weather events.
Synotic
Over land and over the ocean, wind gusts are caused by?
Turbulent eddies
T/F: Prevailing offshore winds in summer carry moisture, cool air, and fog into coastal regions, whereas prevailing onshore breezes carry warmer and drier air into the same locations
FALSE
T/F: A valley breeze develops its maximum strength in the early afternoon because they occur when warm air rises up the sides of the valley
True
When a sea breeze that is moving west meets a sea breeze moving east, they form ?
A sea breeze convergence zone
An offshore wind blows
From land to water
When do dust devils form?
Generally they firm on clear, hot, dry days
Wind movements near mountains can be quite complex, for example: eddies that form both close to mountains and beneath each wave crest are called?
Rotors
The wind speed generally increase with height above earths surface because?
Friction with earths surface slows the air near the ground
T/F: In large weather systems, we see that mesoscale circulations have a longer duration than micro scale circulations
True
What determines the height of a wave generated in the open ocean?
Length of time wind blows over water
Particularly in desert valleys, thermally generated eddies typically peak __(when)___ when surface heating processes are most amenable
In the afternoon
T/F: pilots must be aware that turbulent eddies can occur in conjunction w/ mountain waves, which may extend upwards into the stratosphere.
When these Eddie’s develope in clear air, this form of turbulence is referred to as ______?
True, Clear turbulence
Compression heating is the main Source of warmth for a chinook wind. T/F
True
3) What is a serous hazard towards aircrafts which often occurs without warning on bright, and clear, weatherless day?
Clear air turbulence
Surface winds are generally strongest and most gusty when?
In the afternoon
During the summer along the coast, a sea breeze is usually the strongest and best developed when?
In the afternoon
An upper wind direction is reported as 135 degrees. From what compass is the wind blowing?
Southeast
The summer monsoon in eastern and Southern Asia is characterized by?
Wet weather and winds blowing from sea to land
During the summer, in humid climates, nighttime clouds tend to form over water during a ______?
Land breeze
A wind reported as having a direction of 225 degrees would be blowing from where?
Southwest
A nighttime counterpart of sea breeze circulation is called
Land breeze
The winter monsoon is eastern and Southern Asia is characterized by?
Dry weather and winds blowing from land to sea
Thermal turbulence above the surface such as in a desert valley during simmer is usually most severe. When ?
During maximum surface heating
Clouds and precipitation are frequently found on the downwind side of a large lake. This would indicate that the air on the downwind side is ____?
Converging and rising
The land/sea breeze, lake breeze, and mountain/valley breeze, are examples of _________. Generated by pressure gradients produced by differential heating
Thermal circulations
What is an example of micro scale motion?
Winds blowing past a chimney
