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weather and climate > exam 4 > Flashcards

exam 4 Flashcards

1
Q

air masses are characterized by

A

homogeneous physical properties

-temperature & humidity

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2
Q

A or cA

A

continental arctic

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3
Q

cP

A

continental polar

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4
Q

mP

A

maritime polar

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5
Q

mT

A

maritime tropical

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6
Q

cT

A

continental tropical

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7
Q

what air mass is best described by the following:

canada, not as cold as arctic, lake erie modifies temperature upward

A

continental polar (cP)

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8
Q

what air mass is best described by the following:

gulf of mexico, austin, houston, new orleans, ingredient in thunderstorms

A

maritime tropical (mT)

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9
Q

what air mass is best described by the following:

think arctic circle, barrow, alaska, only reached austin a couple of times

A

continental arctic (A or cA)

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10
Q

c =

A

land

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11
Q

m =

A

water

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12
Q

T =

A

warm

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13
Q

P =

A

cool

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14
Q

A =

A

very cool

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15
Q

what air mass is best described by the following:

northern desert in mexico, part of new mexico, and arizona; hot and dry

A

continental tropical (cT)

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16
Q

dry air has a (higher/lower) molecular weight

A

higher

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17
Q

fronts are found

A

in troughs of low pressure

**surface convergence and upper level divergence

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18
Q

what is cyclogenesis

A

low pressure developing at the surface

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19
Q

what causes cyclogenesis

A

increased surface convergence and upper level divergence (low pressure)

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20
Q

what is a front

A

a boundary between air mass

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21
Q

frontolysis

A

a weakened or dying front

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22
Q

frontogenesis

A

the birth or growth of a new front

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23
Q

overrunning

A

when less dense air mass runs up over a heavier air mass (frizzing drizzle, lots of clouds)

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24
Q

cold front

A

4 - 5 mph

  • when cold air ACTIVELY advances into a region formerly occupied by warmer air
  • steeper slope
  • the most dynamic weather comes from the cold frontal lift
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25
Q

a cold front is shown by the color _____ and a line of ________ pointing in the direction that ________________

A

blue ; triangles ; the front is moving

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26
Q

warm front

A
  • when the surface position of a front moves such that warmer air occupies territory formerly occupied by colder air
  • more gentle slope
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27
Q

a warm front is shown by the color _____ and a line of _________pointing in the way that ____________

A

red ; semicircles ; the front will move

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28
Q

stationary front

A
  • when little forward movement of either air mass, usually upper level winds are parallel to the surface frontal boundary
  • causes the floods in TX
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29
Q

a stationary front is shown by a line of ___________

A

ALTERNATING triangles and semicircles

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30
Q

occluded front

A
  • when a cold front overtakes a warm front in the vicinity of a surface low
  • more common over northern US
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31
Q

an occluded front is shown by a line of _____________

A

triangles and semicircles

all on one side of the line, unlike stationary fronts where the triangles and semicircles are alternating

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32
Q

what do dry lines do

A

separate two air masses - boundary between cT (hot, dry air) and mT (warm, moist air)

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33
Q

true/false: dry lines are a type of front

A

FALSE ; dry lines are not technically a front

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34
Q

the molecular weight of cT air is __________(heavier/lighter) than that of the mT air…..what does this mean?

A

heavier ; when it charges east a dry line lift occurs which can cause thunderstorms

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35
Q

define weather forecasting

A

predicting how the state of the atmosphere will change with time

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36
Q

what resources do we use to “piece together the puzzle” of weather forecasting?

A
  • satellite
  • doppler radar
  • rawinsondes
  • aircraft data
  • lightning data
  • buoy data
  • weather charts/maps
  • numerical weather predictions/comp model
  • citizen weather observations
  • surface aviation weather observations
  • storm spotters/chasers
  • looking outside
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37
Q

what air mass is best described by the following:

northern pacific/atlantic, foggy, rainy, chilly

*think Seattle

A

maritime polar (mP)

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38
Q

remember that air masses ________ as they move

A

modify

**meaning they can start off as one type (ex: cT) and modify into another as it travels (ex: mT)

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39
Q

severe weather and thunderstorms are associated most with which type of front

A

cold front

**need dynamic lift

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40
Q

define overrunning

A

less dense air spreading over/occupying more dense air

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41
Q

how does warmer air remover colder air

A

from the top…“eating” its way down

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42
Q

what type of front are floods associated with

A

stationary front

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43
Q

what type of front are clouds and fog associated with

A

occluded front

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44
Q

to be able to forecast the weather, what must be known

A

the current weather information over a large area

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45
Q

ASOS/AWOS cannot observe

A
  • hail
  • tornadoes
  • sleet
  • snow depth
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46
Q

what is one of the most reflective hydrometers

A

wet hail

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47
Q

humans augment what weather observations

A
  • hail
  • tornadoes
  • sleet
  • snow depth
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48
Q

what is the cone of silence

A

a single sight radar ; when a storm is near or over the radar site, data is unavailable and shows up as this black hole

***NOT SURE ABOUT THIS

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49
Q

what color representations on a radar are more reflective/less reflective

A

less reflective = green

more reflective = red

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50
Q

ASOS/AWOS can observe

A
  • temperature
  • pressure
  • speed
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51
Q

how often are rawinsondes released

A

twice a day at hundred of locations worldwide ( 6-7 am & 6-7pm CST)

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52
Q

what do rawinsondes measure with ascension

A
  • temperature
  • humidity
  • atmospheric pressure
  • wind speed/direction
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53
Q

what is the average flight of a rawinsonde

A

60 - 90 minutes

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54
Q

how high do rawinsondes travel

A

as high as 100,00 ft (15 - 20 miles)

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55
Q

what are METARS

A

coded aviation (surface) weather observations that are transmitted globally >hourly ; it is a description of the meteorological elements observed at an airport at a specific time

56
Q

what does WMO stand for

A

World Meteorological Organization

*it is a UN specialized agency

57
Q

what is the WMO responsible for

A

the international exchanges of weather data and certifying that the observation process DOES NOT vary between nation since all weather observations must be comparable

58
Q

where do people get their weather forecasts

A
  • radio
  • tv
  • internet
  • newspapers
  • AMS/NWA
59
Q

what does it take to be a part of AMS

A

AMS certified broadcast meteorologist have to pass a test ; joining the AMS/NWA is voluntary because we do not/rarely license meteorologists in the US

60
Q

who issues weather watches/advisories/warnings

A

the National Weather Service (government)

**this is the SOLE source to issue these

61
Q

which is described below: watch, advisory, or warning?

type of weather specified is imminent or is occurring and is a public inconvenience (smaller to larger geographic area)

A

advisory

62
Q

which is described below: watch, advisory, or warning?

type of weather specified is imminent or is occurring and is an immediate threat to life and/or property (generally smaller geographic area)

A

warning

63
Q

which is described below: watch, advisory, or warning?

atmospheric conditions are favorable for the type of weather specified (generally larger geographic area)

A

watch

64
Q

time span of weather watches

A

longer time span: 4 - 6 hours up to 24 - 48 hours

65
Q

time span of weather advisory

A

6 - 24 hours

66
Q

time span of weather warning

A

.5 - 1 hour

67
Q

what are the different methods of forecasting

A
  • persistence forecasting
  • steady state/trend forecasting
  • analogue method forecasting
  • ensemble forecasting
  • climatological forecasting
  • “gut” forecasting
68
Q

what type of forecasting method is best described by the following:

looking at similar systems from the past

A

analogue method forecasting

69
Q

what type of forecasting method is best described by the following:

looking at movement of system

A

steady state/trend forecasting

70
Q

what type of forecasting method is best described by the following:

tied to numerical weather prediction; several members are run to collect data and test accuracy of model

A

ensemble forecasting

71
Q

what type of forecasting method is best described by the following:

basing forecast on climate/previous trends of that location and season

A

climatological forecasting

72
Q

what type of forecasting method is best described by the following:

most valuable in short term, use when pattern is stable

A

persistence forecasting

73
Q

what type of forecasting method is best described by the following:

go with and make decisions based on your experience/instinct

A

“gut” forecasting

74
Q

weather forecasting is a ___________ science

A

non-perfect

75
Q

what method of weather forecasting should be used

A

all of them! don’t just look at one, use a combination

76
Q

what does NWP stand for

A

Numerical Weather Prediction

77
Q

what is NWP

A

computer atmospheric models made through programs

78
Q

how often are NWP models run

A

1-4 times/day

79
Q

what are some problems with the NWP system

A
  • if bad data in, then bad data out
  • model make certain assumptions therefore have certain biases
  • data sparse areas of the world
  • cannot adequately interpret many of the factors that influence surface weather
  • small disturbances/errors tend to be amplified with time
80
Q

what does POP forecasting stand for

A

probability of precipitation

81
Q

true/false: POP forecasting is very misunderstood

A

true

82
Q

how do we arrive at forecast POP

A

(forecaster certainty) x (areal coverage expected)

EX: 50% x 20% = 1000 or 10% POP

**it means there’s a 10% chance that it will rain AT A GIVEN LOCATION

it does not mean that it will be raining 10% of the time or 10% of the area

83
Q

what is the short term forecast accuracy

A

80-90% (today/tonight)

84
Q

what is the medium term forecast accuracy

A

over 80% (2-3 days out)

85
Q

what is the monthly or seasonal outlook accuracy

A

much lower (30-90 days out)

86
Q

what is the longer range forecast accuracy

A

70% (4-8 days out)

87
Q

what percent of thunderstorms worldwide are classified as severe

A

less than 5%

88
Q

true/false: straight line winds can cause more damage than tornadoes

A

true ; straight line winds diverge whereas the winds of tornadoes converge

89
Q

what are the basic requirements for a thunderstorm

A
  • lift
  • instability
  • moisture
90
Q

how long to most thunderstorms last

A

about an hour

91
Q

how are thunderstorms brought to an end

A

the down draft (cold, more dense air) cuts off the updraft and the storm commits atmospheric “suicide”

92
Q

true/false: severe thunderstorms do not last as long as air mass thunderstorms

A

false ; severe thunderstorms are longer lasting because of an established/well developed wind structure (2 hours longer)

93
Q

where do most severe thunderstorms occur

A

middle latitudes along cold fronts/dry lines

**cP/mP/mT/cT boundaries

94
Q

what are the criteria for a US severe thunderstorm

A
  • presence of a tornado
  • 1 inch or larger diameter hail (@ surface)
  • convective wind gusts of 50 knots/58mph

**this is an AND/OR list; only one criteria must be met for it to be considered severe

95
Q

true/false: the presence of an initial tropospheric temperature inversion contributes to thunderstorm development

A

true

96
Q

define squall lines

A

a line of thunderstorms

97
Q

what is something you should always remember to look for in a squall line

A

always watch for the storm at the end of the line

98
Q

what determines the severity of the individual thunderstorms in a squall line

A

the density of the storms along the line

99
Q

define super cells

A

long lasting thunderstorms that develop a strong, internal wind structure and that control their atmospheric environment

100
Q

true/false: super cells are always severe

A

true

101
Q

define mesocyclones

A

a rotating updraft, usually 3 - 7 miles, within an intense cumulonimbus cloud/severe thunderstorm

102
Q

what percent of mesocyclones produce tornadoes

A

less than 20%

103
Q

what is a mesoscale convective complex/system

A

a number of individual thunderstorms that grow in size and arrange and organize into a long lasting convective complex

104
Q

where are mesoscale convective systems commonly found

A

USA plains and into Mississippi Valley

105
Q

how much larger can mesoscale convective systems be than average air mass thunderstorms

A

as much as 1000x

106
Q

what does derecho mean

A

“straight ahead” or “direct”

107
Q

what is a derecho

A

a widespread and usually fast moving convective wind storm

108
Q

how severe is the reach and damage of a derecho

A

can produce damaging wind over areas hundreds of miles long and more than 100 miles across

109
Q

true/false: thunderstorms are bad for the environment

A

false; thunderstorms are good for the environment because they help keep the Earth in electrical balance; they also serve as a great way for the atmosphere to release energy

110
Q

what are the 4 different types of thunderstorms

A
  • single cells
  • multicell clusters
  • multicell lines
  • supercells
111
Q

what are the stages of thunderstorm developement

A
  • cumulus (updrafts dominate)
  • mature (updrafts/downdrafts coexist)
  • dissipating (downdrafts dominate)
112
Q

lightning won’t develop until _____________ develop

A

downdrafts

113
Q

at any given moment, how many individual thunderstorms are in progress worldwide

A

2000

114
Q

of the 2000 individual thunderstorms in progress worldwide, what percent are severe or non-severe

A

over 95% non-severe ; less than 5% severe

115
Q

what are the differences in hail size between severe and non severe thunderstorms

A

non-severe : hail less than 1” in diameter

severe: hail equal or greater than 1”

116
Q

what are the differences in formation location between severe and non-severe thunderstorms

A

non-severe : found WITHIN mT airmass

severe : found ON boundaries of mT airmass

117
Q

hail size (and thunderstorm severity) is entirely dependent on _____________

A

thunderstorm updraft and downdraft speed

118
Q

largest hail often falls ________ (NW, NE, SW, SE) of tornadoes

A

NE

119
Q

what is the number one weather killer in the US

A

summer heat

120
Q

true/false: flash floods are one of the top weather killers in the US

A

true ; general public does not understand the power of moving water

**south central texas is considered the flash flood capital of the US

121
Q

what are straight line thunderstorm winds

A

strong downdraft winds from thunderstorms with a divergent wind pattern

**referred to in general as downbursts

122
Q

where are GOES satellites east and west located

A

GOES west is at 135 W longitude

GOES east is at 75 W longitude

123
Q

what are the three different satellite image types

A

visible, infrared, and water vapor

124
Q

what does the visible satellite image type display

A

shows what the sun light up, cannot see at night

125
Q

what does the infrared satellite image type display

A

hotter colors denote colder cloudtops, 24 hrs a day

126
Q

what does the water vapor satellite image type display

A

mid and upper level atmospheric moisture

127
Q

reflectivity vs. velocity data

A

reflectivity will show levels of precipitation

velocity will show where it’s moving

128
Q

what is clear air mode

A

when there is high certainty of no precipitation, satellites can enter this mode and not do as much work

129
Q

what is dual pol

A

horizontal and vertical measurements/waves, this crossection allows us to capture both size and shape of hydrometers

130
Q

ASOS stands for

A

automated surface observing system

131
Q

AWOS stands for

A

automated weather observing system

132
Q

an example of an airport that uses human augmentation

A

austin bergstrom

133
Q

an example of an airport that does not use human augmentation

A

camp mabry

134
Q

what are the most common lightning types

A

cloud to cloud & intracloud

135
Q

a bolt of lightning is about the diameter of…

A

a pencil

136
Q

within the lightning bolt, it is about ___ times the temperature of _______________

A

5 times the temperature of the outer surface of the sun

137
Q

what about tornadoes kills most people

A

the flying debris

weather and climate (5 decks)

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