chapter 6 the restless sky

Question 1

what is the largest and most locally intense storm on the planet

Answer 1

EF5 tornado

Question 2

storm systems derive energy from

Answer 2

• solar heat from the earth

- condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere

Question 3

microscale atmospheric systems last ___. synoptic atmospheric systems last ___.

Answer 3

hours

weeks

Question 4

thunderstorm

Answer 4

a cumulonimbus cloud that produces lightning and thunder

Question 5

thunderstorms are embedded within larger synoptic scale systems such as

Answer 5

• tropical cyclones
• midlatitude cyclones
• the ITCZ

Question 6

air mass

Answer 6

a large region of air, extended over thousands of km, that is uniform in temperature and humidity

Question 7

three types of thunderstorms

Answer 7

single cell thunderstorms
multicell thunderstorms
supercell thunderstorms

Question 8

two important factors in determining thunderstorm type

Answer 8

atmospheric humidity and wind shear

Question 9

wind shear

Answer 9

changes in wind speed and direction with altitude

Question 10

single cell thunderstorms

Answer 10

mild and short lived, form within mT air masses where wind shear is weak, develop late afternoon, typically predictable

Question 11

multicell thunderstorms

Answer 11

forms under moderate conditions of wind shear, form along fronts rather than within, arranged in clusters

Question 12

squall line

Answer 12

a line of multicell thunderstorm cells that typically forms along a cold front on a mid latitude cyclone

Question 13

severe thunderstorm conditions

Answer 13

produce either hail 2.54 cm in diameter, a tornado, or wind gusts of 93 km/h or greater

Question 14

supercell thunderstorm

Answer 14

a severe thunderstorm containing a rotating cylindrical updraft

Question 15

mesocyclone

Answer 15

the rotating portion of a supercell thunderstorm

produces almost all powerful tornadoes

Question 16

lightning (kachoww)

Answer 16

the electrical discharge produced by thunderstorms

Question 17

thunder

Answer 17

acoustic shock wave produced when lightning rapidly heats and expands the air around it

Question 18

fulgurite

Answer 18

a glassy hollow formed as lightning melts sand (wowYY)

Question 19

tornado

Answer 19

a violently rotating column of air that descends from a cumulonimbus cloud and touches ground

Question 20

wall cloud

Answer 20

a cylindrical cloud that protrudes from the base of a mesocyclone from which a tornado may descend

Question 21

funnel cloud

Answer 21

is the same as a tornado, but does not make contact with the ground

Question 22

enhanced fujita scale

Answer 22

a system used to rank the strength of a tornado

Question 23

tornado watch

Answer 23

alert issued by National Weather Service when conditions are favourable for tornadic thunderstorms

Question 24

tornado warning

Answer 24

warning issued by NWS after tornado has been seen and called in to local authorities or is suggested by Doppler radar hook echo signature

Question 25

tropical cyclone

Answer 25

a cyclonic low pressure system occuring in the tropics with sustained winds of 119 km/hr or greater

Question 26

hurricane strength depends on how much ____ _____ condenses into liquid.

Answer 26

water vapour

Question 27

tropical storm

Answer 27

tropical cyclonic storm with sustained winds between 63 and 118 km/hr