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weather and climate > exam 2 > Flashcards

exam 2 Flashcards

1
Q

what are the three main temperature scales

A

fahrenheit, celsius, kelvin

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2
Q

who developed the Fahrenheit scale and in what year

A

Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit ; 1714

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3
Q

based on mercury-in-glass thermometer based upon a “zero point” ; only in US

A

Fahrenheit Scale

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4
Q

what are the three significant temperatures on the Fahrenheit scale

A

98.6 - human body temperature
212 - water’s boiling/steam point
32 - freezing/”zero” point

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5
Q

who developed the Celsius scale and in what year

A

Anders Celsius ; 1742

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6
Q

devised using the decimal scale and a “zero” point; used widely worldwide (except US)

A

Celsius Scale

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7
Q

a degree of celsius is ________ (smaller/larger) than a degree of Fahrenheit by a factor of _____

A

larger ; 1.8

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8
Q

what are the three significant temperatures on the Celsius scale

A

37 - human body temperature
100 - water’s boiling/steam point
0 - freezing point

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9
Q

who developed the Kelvin scale and in what year

A

Lord Kelvin (William Thompson) ; 1848

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10
Q

used in scientific formulas/applications ; no negatives on this scale ; the “zero” point is the cessation of molecular motion

A

Kelvin Scale

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11
Q

what are the significant temperatures on the Kelvin scale

A

273 - freezing point of water

373 - water’s boiling/steam point

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12
Q

temperature scale conversion: Fahrenheit to Celsius

A

(F - 32) / 1.8 = C

EX: 50 F = 10 C
(50 F - 32) / 1.8 = 18 / 1.8 = 10C

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13
Q

temperature scale conversion: Celsius to Fahrenheit

A

C x 1.8 + 32 = F

EX: 30 C = 86 F
(30 C x 1.8) + 32 = 86 F

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14
Q

units of measure ; developed in the early 20th century ; a method of evaluating energy demand and consumption

A

Heating/Cooling Degree Days

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15
Q

what is the daily mean temperature that marks/determines when to be heating or cooling

A

65 F / 18.3 C

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16
Q

if the average temperature is >65…

A

CDD

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17
Q

if the average temperature is

A

HDD

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18
Q

the degree difference between the average temperature and 65 F tells you…

A

the number of HDD or CDD

EX: high temp is 90 F , low temp is 60 F ; therefore the average temp is 75 F ; this is 10 F > 65 F ; therefore, it would be a 10 CDD observed for the day

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19
Q

CDD season

A

Jan - Dec

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20
Q

HDD season

A

July 1 - June 30

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21
Q

what are the 2 factors of the heat stress index

A

temperature and humidity

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22
Q

85% of body heat loss is from…

A

top of head to neck/shoulders

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23
Q

what are the 2 main factors of the wind chill index

A

air temperature and wind speed

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24
Q

what is the most important compound in the atmosphere

A

water vapor

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25
Q

the amount of water vapor (gas) in the atmosphere is _____ (higher/lower) in the polar regions and _____ (higher/lower) near the equator/tropical regions

A

lower (near 0%) ; higher (near 4%)

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26
Q

water vapor is very important when considering…

A

atmospheric stability

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27
Q

latent heat absorbed…

A
  • *Cooling Process
  • evaporation
  • melting
  • sublimation

> LAMES

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28
Q

latent heat released…

A
  • *Warming Process
  • freezing
  • condensation
  • deposition

> LRCDF

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29
Q

humidity

A

refers to any one of a number of different ways of specifying the amount of water vapor in the air

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30
Q

(AKA-water vapor density) ; the weight/mass of the water vapor per volume of air parcel

A

absolute humidity

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31
Q

comparing the weight/mass of the water vapor per volume of air parcel with the total weight/mass of the air in the parcel including the water vapor

A

specific humidity

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32
Q

comparing the weight/mass of the water vapor per volume of air parcel with the weight/mass of the remaining dry air

A

mixing ratio

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33
Q

ratio of the air’s actual water vapor content compared with the amount of water vapor required for saturation at a given temp

A

relative humidity

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34
Q

relative humidity can be influenced, or changed, by…

A
  • adding/subtracting moisture to air

- changing given air temp

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35
Q

relative humidity has _______ relationship to temperature

A

inverse ; so if temperature is getting higher throughout the day, RH is getting low

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36
Q

the temperature to which a parcel of air would need to be cooled to (assuming no change in air pressure or moisture content) in order for the given parcel of air to reach saturation

A

dew point temperature

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37
Q

dew point temperature is always __________ air temperature

A

less than or equal to

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38
Q

when dew point temp = air temp…

A

air is saturated (relative humidity = 100%)

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39
Q

relative humidity is lowest when…

A

there is a greater difference between dew point temp and air temp

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40
Q

relative humidity is highest when…

A

there is a smaller difference between dew point temp and air temp

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41
Q

a lower dew point temperature means…

A

less moisture in air (cold air can hold less water)

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42
Q

a higher dew point temperature means…

A

more moisture in air

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43
Q

dew cell

A

directly measures the air’s actual water vapor pressure (used in ASOS/AWOS sensor systems)

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44
Q

atmospheric stability refers to…

A

a state of equilibrium of the atmosphere

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45
Q

in order to determine atmospheric stability, we look at…

A

the temperature of a parcel of air as it rise and/or sinks in the atmosphere and compare that temperature to the temperature of surrounding air

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46
Q

when you force a parcel of air to rise…

A

it expands and cools

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47
Q

when you force a parcel of air to sink

A

it compresses and warms

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48
Q

when a given parcel of air expands/cools or compresses/warms with NO interchange of heat with its outside environment

A

adiabatic process

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49
Q

in unsaturated air, air cools/heats at a rate of…

A

5.5 F / 1000 Ft

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50
Q

in saturated air, air cools/heats at a rate of…

A

3.3 F / 1000 Ft

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51
Q

when the ELR is greater than the DALR, the atmosphere is said to be

A

absolutely unstable

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52
Q

when the ELR is greater than the MALR, but less than the DALR, the atmosphere is said to be

A

conditionally unstable

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53
Q

when the ELR is less than the MALR, the atmosphere is said to be

A

absolutely stable

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54
Q

stability is enhanced by…

A
  1. radiational cooling of the earth’s surface after sunset
  2. cooling of air mass from below as it moves over a colder surface
  3. subsidence of an air column
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55
Q

instability is enhanced by…

A
  1. intense solar heating
  2. heating of air mass from below as moves over a warmer surface
  3. forceful lifting of air (orographic and frontal)
  4. upward motion with surface air convergence
  5. radiational cooling from nocturnal thunderstorm cloudtops
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56
Q

parcels rise in _____ (warmer/colder) air

A

warmer

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57
Q

ELR

A

Environmental Lapse Rate ; rate at which air cools with height

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58
Q

water that has condensed onto objects near the ground when the temperature of those objects has cooled below the dew point temperature of the surrounding air ; not a form of precipitation, but still an important source of moisture

A

dew

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59
Q

what happens when the air temperature falls below freezing after dew has formed?

A

frozen dew ; NOT CALLED FROST (frost is produced by deposition - meaning it does not pass through a liquid state)

60
Q

a covering of ice crystals produced by deposition on exposed surfaces when the air temperature falls below the freezing point and the temperature of the exposed objects falls below the surrounding air’s dew point temperature

A

frost

61
Q

what kills more people annually than any other weather-related factors

A

heat

62
Q

what are the four phases of the hydrologic cycle

A

evaporation, condensation, transpiration, infiltration

63
Q

water going through the roots and out through the leaves of the plants

A

transpiration

64
Q

soaking into the soil ; aquifer?

A

infiltration

65
Q

if air temperature and dew point temperature are one degree apart, what is the RH

A

96%

66
Q

there is a _______ (direct/indirect) relationship between dew point temp and moisture in air

A

direct ; more moisture in air at higher dew points, and less moisture in air at lower dew points

67
Q

sling psychrometer : dry bulb records

A

actual air temperature

68
Q

sling psychrometer : wet bulb records

A

NOT dew point temperature ; after wetting the shoestring and slinging it, the evaporative cooling yields a wet bulb temperature

69
Q

through this we can determine RH & Dew Point Temp using dry and wet bulb temps and psychometric tables

A

sling psychrometer

70
Q

electronic hygrometer

A

electrical conductors coated with moisture absorbing chemical (usually carbon); Passage of current varies as Relative Humidity varies; used in Radiosondes / Rawinsondes

71
Q

infrared hygrometer

A

measures the amount of infrared energy absorbed by water vapor in a given sample of air; used in weather satellites (water vapor imagery)

72
Q

hair hygrometer

A

based on a hair strand lengthening with higher RH; hair strands attached to an index dial

73
Q

most clouds form as air _____, _______, & _______

A

rises, expands, and cools

74
Q

a cloud with its base at the earth’s surface

A

fog

75
Q

most common type of fog we see in south central texas ; radiates heat away then cool to dew point temp ; fog forms because air becomes saturated ; little to no wind

A

radiation fog

76
Q

most common type of fog along west coast ; horizontal wind/movement ; can occur with little wind ;

A

advection fog

77
Q

latin root : stratus means…

A

“layer”

78
Q

latin root : nimbus means…

A

“violent rain”

79
Q

latin root : cumulus means…

A

“heap”

80
Q

latin root : cirrus means…

A

“curl of hair”

81
Q

if a parcel is colder than the air temp, what will happen

A

it will sink to get warmer/compress

82
Q

if a parcel is warmer than the air temp, what will happen

A

it will rise to get colder/expand

83
Q

when the parcel expands / cools or compresses / warms with interchange of heat with the outside environment

A

diabatic process ; but we assume adiabatic process

84
Q

thermodynamic diagram : the yellow line is the…

A

parcel line

85
Q

thermodynamic diagram : compare the yellow line to the…

A

air temperature line (NOT the dew point temp line)

86
Q

thermodynamic diagram : when the parcel (yellow) line is left of the air temperature line, the atmosphere is…

A

stable

87
Q

thermodynamic diagram : when the parcel (yellow) line is right of the air temperature line, the atmosphere is…

A

unstable

88
Q

the quicker it gets colder with height the more ______ (stable/unstable) the parcel is

A

unstable

89
Q

the slower it gets colder with height or if there are temperature inversions the more _____ (stable/unstable) the parcel is

A

stable

90
Q

cloud formation process:

A
  1. surface heating and free convection
  2. topographic lift
  3. widespread lifting (ascent) due to surface convergence
  4. uplift along weather fronts (tornado capital causer)
91
Q

Adding more moisture to the air than it can hold (you can see your breath when it is cold)

A

evaporation/mixing fog

92
Q

Fog that forms when air is forced to move up slowly ; associated with topographic lift

A

upslope fog

93
Q

cloud classification schemes : who made the first classification and in what year

A

Lamarck , 1802

94
Q

cloud classification schemes : who made the second modification to the classification and in what year

A

Howard , 1803

95
Q

cloud classification schemes : who made the last expansion to the classification and in what year

A

Abercromby & Hildebransson , 1887

96
Q

cloud coverage is measure in what

A

octas

97
Q

cloud coverage : 0/8

A

clear sky (CLR/SKC)

98
Q

cloud coverage : 1/8 - 2/8

A

few clouds (FEW)

99
Q

cloud coverage : 3/8 - 4/8

A

scattered (SCT)

100
Q

cloud coverage : 5/8 - 7/8

A

broken (BKN)

101
Q

cloud coverage : 8/8

A

overcast (OVC)

102
Q

precipitation types

A

rain, freezing rain, drizzle, freezing drizzle, sleet, hail, snow

103
Q

geostationary satellites

A

22,500 miles above ground ; images of same geographic area continuously

104
Q

polar orbiting satellites

A

532 miles above ground ; closely parallel the earth’s meridian lines ; they pass over the north and south polar regions with each pass

105
Q

precipitation formation process : collision - coalescence process

A

warmer temperature process

106
Q

precipitation formation process : bergeron process

A

colder temperature process

107
Q

what is the water equivalent of snowfall

A

1” liquid rainfall = 10” snow

108
Q

water equivalent of wet snowfall

A

1” liquid rainfall = 5” snow

109
Q

water equivalent of dry powdery snow

A

1” liquid rainfall = 15” snow

110
Q

what are the three types of precipitation measurement

A

standard rain gauge ; tipping bucket rain gauge ; weighing type rain gauge

111
Q

what are things to remember when measuring snowfall

A
  • avoid areas with drifting/blowing snow
  • away from trees/buildings
  • measure in 3 places with a ruler and average
112
Q

CLOUD ID: wispy streamers ; lower/shallower near poles ; “mares tales” ; fair weather

A

cirrus

113
Q

precipitation that does not reach the ground

A

virga

114
Q

what are the high clouds

A

cirrus, cirrocumulus, cirrostratus (all at or above 20,000 feet)

115
Q

CLOUD ID: occasional precipitation that doesn’t hit the ground (virga); always white ; scales of fish ; small puffs

A

cirrocumulus

116
Q

CLOUD ID: “halo” -usually transparent to sunlight; shadows are cast ; thin sheet like layer

A

cirrostratus

117
Q

what are the middle clouds

A

altocumulus ; altostratus (6,500 - 20,000 ft)

118
Q

CLOUD ID: gray base-distinguishable ; “rising castles” ; common on mornings of severe weather days ;

A

altocumulus

119
Q

CLOUD ID: gray-blue/gray (NEVER white) ; no shadows cast ;

A

altostratus

120
Q

what are the low clouds

A

stratus ; stratocumulus ; nimbostratus

121
Q

CLOUD ID: uniform grey stratified layer ; light drizzle or light snow possible ; very uniform cloud bases

A

stratus

122
Q

CLOUD ID: lumpy cloud layer ; blue sky visible between cloud elelments

A

stratocumulus

123
Q

CLOUD ID: dark grey wet-looking cloud ; light to moderate rain (never heavy precipitation) ; bases are normally impossible to identify ; no sun or moon visible through cloud mass

A

nimbostratus

124
Q

what are the clouds of vertical extent

A

cumulus ; cumulonimbus

125
Q

CLOUD ID: only out when the sun is ; when they have a flat base, air has reached dew point temp ; dense and well defined ; cotton puffs

A

cumulus

126
Q

more cloud towering means…

A

more instability

127
Q

CLOUD ID: large, towering, precipitating ; thunder, lightning and rain ; severe storms

A

cumulonimbus

128
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: lenticularis

A

lens like

129
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: fractus

A

broken or fractured

130
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: humilis

A

of small size

131
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: congestus

A

to pile up/become congested

132
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: undulatus

A

having waves

133
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: translucidus

A

to shine through

134
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: mammatus

A

bag/pouch like ; mammary (extreme turbulence)

135
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: pileus

A

cap

136
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: castellanus

A

small castles

137
Q

CLOUD SUBTYPES: contrails

A

condensation trails (behind jets)

138
Q

FORMS OF PRECIPITATION: falls from low stratus clouds ; drops are less than 0.02” ; trace amounts of rainfall

A

drizzle

139
Q

FORMS OF PRECIPITATION: diameters greater than 0.02”; generally produced by nimbostratus or cumulonimbus clouds; ***intensity is based upon rate of fall

A

rain

140
Q

what does trace mean

A

not measurable, but occurs

141
Q

FORMS OF PRECIPITATION: rain that falls in liquid form but freezes upon impact; droplet size greater than 0.02”; ice storms

A

freezing rain

142
Q

FORMS OF PRECIPITATION: drizzle that falls in liquid form but freezes upon impact; droplet size less than 0.02”; difficult to see-dangerous

A

freezing drizzle

143
Q

FORMS OF PRECIPITATION: frozen raindrops (freeze in air, not upon impact) ; diameter is 0.2” or less; distinctive sound when hitting ground

A

ice pellets (sleet)

144
Q

FORMS OF PRECIPITATION: produced through deposition ; up to 0.8” in diameter ; intensity is always based upon visibility

A

snow

145
Q

FORMS OF PRECIPITATION: always produced by cumulonimbus clouds ; large liquid water contents, large cloud droplet size, and great vertical height are favorable in creating this form of precipitation ; diameter of 1” (size of quarter) or greater is one criteria that classifies a thunderstorm as being “severe”

A

hail

weather and climate (5 decks)

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