Chapter 11: Cyclonic Storms Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the smallest and largest cyclonic storm?

A
Smallest= thunderstorm
Largest= Hurricane/Typhoon
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2
Q

How do thunderstorms form?

A

When there is moisture, atmospheric instability and a lifting mechanism
-Rising air cools causing some of the water vapour to convince which forms cumulonimbus clouds for thunderstorms

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3
Q

What are 3 things that cause air to rise?

A
  1. Differential heating- uneven heating of the ground and air creates pockets of warm air called thermals which tend to rise
  2. Cold fronts- warm air goes over colder air
  3. Terrain
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4
Q

How long to thunderstorms cells last?

A

30 mins

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5
Q

what are he 3 stages in the lifecycle of a thunder storm?

A
  1. Towering cumulonimbus stage: clouds grow up with turbulence at the edges
  2. Mature stage: air moving in both un and down directions
  3. Dissipating stage: downdrafts dominate and the upward supply of warm moist air is cut off
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6
Q

what are the 3 other types of thunderstorms?

A
  1. Multi cell storms
  2. Line cell storms
  3. Supercell thunderstorms
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7
Q

Proper definition of a hurricane?

A

Sever cyclonic tropical storm in North Atlantic Basin. Originating in the tropics and rotate counterclockwise

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8
Q

what are the 5 steps in the formation of a hurricane?

A
  1. Cold front+ warm from coming together from opposite directions
  2. Boundary between the 2 fronts isn’t in a straight line
  3. Both fronts are moving to the right (counterclockwise)
  4. Denser cold air moves faster than the warm air. Lifts the cell upward, creating a low pressure area
  5. As the air is lifted, it expands and cools adiabatically and reaches dew point.. Clouds develop over low pressure area. Eventually a front forms that has been lifter completely off the ground
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9
Q

Where do hurricanes begin?

A

With a disturbance in the westward flowing air near the equator. temp must be 26C or warmer
-water rises and condenses in these warm tropic areas, which releases large amounts of latent heat which is the main source for a hurricane

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10
Q

What are the classification stages before a hurricane?

A

Tropical wave > Tropical storm > Hurricane

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11
Q

What is hurricane wind velocity?

A

When winds travel fast and counterclockwise sooner the eye

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12
Q

What is storm centre velocity?

A

At the same time, when the storm is being pushed by regional winds

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13
Q

What do you get when you combine hurricane wind and storm centre velocity?

A

It creates a significant difference in effective wind speed on opposite sides of the storm

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14
Q

What are the primary effects hurricanes have on oceans?

A

Sea swells which are long period waves that move in all directions from the storm enter and can be 6-12 hours ahead of the storm

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15
Q

Where did Hurricane Andrew touch down?

A

Homestead south of Miami as a category 4

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16
Q

Why was Hurricane Andrew important?

A

Because it made scientists rethink wind patterns.

-Found small intense vortices develop which produced the fastest winds instead of the eye of the storm

17
Q

Where did Hurricane Katrina touch down?

A

First in Louisiana an then again at the Louisiana/Mississippi border

18
Q

How do we predict storms?

A

We can’t predict them, we can only guess their path once the hurricane has formed

19
Q

What is the relationship with Africa and hurricanes?

A

If there is more rain in Africa, there is more vegetation and more evapotranspiration (plants putting water into the air). With the addition of more water decreases air density and there will be more upward air convection over Africa. This encourages hurricane development because it interferes with airflow moving across Africa over the atlantic.

20
Q

What will happen as the ocean warms in relation to hurricanes?

A

Evaporation rates will increase and will lead to and increase in latent heat energy from condensation which is the driving force of storms

21
Q

What is Storm Furry?

A

Silver iodide is dropped from a plane into the eye of a storm. In theory, it will produce ice crystals from he cooled water in the hurricane walls, which would release latent heat energy in the in the wall of the eye. Which would widen the eye, spreading the energy over a wider area
-Wind velocity decreases