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GSK > Meteorology > Flashcards

Meteorology Flashcards

1
Q

EFFECTS ON WEATHER

A
  • Coriolis effect
  • Seasons
  • Local
  • Land masses
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2
Q

4 FACTORS WHICH DETERMINE THE STRENGTH AND DIRECTION OF WIND ARE -

A
  1. Geographical location
  2. proximity of areas of high and low pressure systems
  3. Pressure gradient between areas of high and low pressure systems
  4. The proximity of land
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3
Q

ISO BAR

A

Lines on a weather chart of equal atmospheric pressure

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4
Q

ISO BARS CLOSE TOGETHER

A

steep pressure gradient - strong winds

Low pressure

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5
Q

ISO BARS FAR APART

A

Slack pressure gradient - light winds

High pressure

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6
Q

CORIOLIS FORCE

A
  • World spins from west to east
  • High pressure will always move to a low pressure
  • cold air dense, high pressure
  • warm air less dense, low pressure
  • earth spins faster at the equator
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7
Q

AIR MASSESS AROUND THE UK

A

NE - Arctic maritime - very cold moist

E - Polar continental - very cold dry

SE - Tropical continental - hot, dry

SW - Tropical Maritime - warm and moist

W - Returning polar maritime - cold very wet

NW - Polar maritime - cold very wet

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8
Q

ITCZ - Intertropical convergence zone

A
  • in this equatorial trough or tropical low lies a zone of calm winds of no prevailing direction.
  • winds which are roughly 5’N and 5’S are known as the doldrums.
  • The area is called the ITCZ because of the converging moist air and high potential for rainfall.

heavy rain and cloud cover

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9
Q

TRADE WINDS

A

The general direction is N easterly in the north hemisphere and S easterly in the southern hemisphere.

They blow with remarkable persistence over all major oceans except the N Indian ocean and China seas.

force 4 to 5

30’N and 30’S latitude in there respective summers. 25’N and 25’S in winter

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10
Q

SEA BREEZE

A
  • As land is heated during the day time the air over it is heated by conduction
  • This heating causes a reduction in density and thus a pressure decrease over land
  • The sea temperature remains more or less constant and the pressure over it is relatively High compared with over land
  • Pressure gradient is formed.
  • The difference in pressure creates an airflow from high to low from the sea to the land.
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11
Q

DEW POINT

A

The atmospheric temperature below which air becomes saturated and water droplets begin to condense and dew forms

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12
Q

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

A

Is the ratio between the current amount of water vapour in the air at that given temperature

To the maximum amount of water vapour possible in the air. Measured as a %

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13
Q

KATABATIC WINDS

A

Intense radiation on a clear night causes cooling over sloping ground. cold dense air flows down hill due to gravity producing the katabatic wind.

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14
Q

LAND BREEZE

A
  • At night land cools more quickly than the sea.
  • offshore breezes start a couple of hours after sunset and blow until dawn
  • Sea breeze depends on temperature difference between the land and the sea.
  • The effect does not extend far offshore 5 miles
  • The air which rise over the sea, may form some cumulus cloud
  • upper air flowing back inshore, sink’s over coastal areas
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15
Q

VARIABLES (HORSE LATTITUDES)

A
  • between the trade winds and the westerlies.
  • light and variable winds that are known as the variables.
  • 30’N to 40’N.
  • weather is generally fair with small amounts of rain.
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16
Q

DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH KATABATIC WIND

A
  • can be a serious hazard to small craft and ships
  • often appear without warning as sudden gust or squall
  • wind may extend 7 miles offshore
  • Greenland, Norway , North Croatia, The eastern black sea and Antarctica commonly suffer from Katabatic winds
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17
Q

HOW DO CLOUDS FORM?

A
  • condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere.
  • They can only form in air that is cooled to its dew point.
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18
Q

HOW DOES FOG FORM

A

Caused by the cooling of Air to a temperature called the dew point, at which it becomes saturated by the water vapour that is present within it. Condensation of this vapour into water droplets produces fog

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19
Q

ADVECTION FOG (SEA FOG)

A

When warm moist air flows over a cold sea surface and cools it to its dew point, advection fog is formed.

This is the main type of fog experienced at sea. occurs when sea temperature is at its lowest

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20
Q

FRONTAL FOG

A

The fog is caused by the mixing of warm and cold air on the two sides of the front.

On a warm front or occlusion, fog may occur

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21
Q

RADIATION FOG (LAND FOG)

A

Radiation fog forms over low-lying land on clear nights, when conditions are ideal for maximum radiative cooling, especially during the winter months.

This fog is thickest during the latter part of the night and early part of the day.

22
Q

BAROMETER

A

Records the pressure at a given time, using a fixed pointer and dial. From a previous reading the change over time can be observed. (Tendency)

23
Q

BAROGRAPH

A

Gives a continual readout of the atmospheric pressure on graduated paper by the use of pen and revolving drum. provides Trend and tendency.

24
Q

HYGROMETER

A

The masons hygrometer also known as a wet/dry thermometer

one thermometer has a dry bulb and the other bulb is kept wet via connection to water reservoir.

Relative humidity is calculated from the difference in readings of the thermometers.

25
Q

HOW TO USE A MASONS HYGROMETER

A
  1. Masons/NP100
  2. get reading from wet and dry bulb thermometer from hygrometer
  3. get mariners handbook
  4. draw graph with time against temp
  5. obtain reading from sea temperature from engineers
  6. plot in regular intervals the sea temperature
  7. plot dew point at regular intervals
  8. X = fog
  9. within 5’ degrees fog likely
26
Q

STAGES OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NH

STAGE 1 - STATIONARY FRONT

A
  • Tropical warm air rises up to meet polar cold air to
    create a stationary front
  • very beginning of a low pressure system.
27
Q

STAGES OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NH

STAGE 2 - MIXING STAGE

A
  • rising air leaves an area of slightly lower pressure beneath it.
  • air moves to fill in the lower pressure Coriolis force will begin to act and rotation will occur
  • will move in NE direction.
28
Q

STAGES OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NH

STAGE 3 - MATURE STAGE

A
  • The mature depression is now fully developed
  • Typically it will move in a direction parallel to the isobars in the warm sector.
29
Q

STAGES OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NH

STAGE 4 - OCLUDED STAGE

A
  • Eventually, the cold front will catch up with warm front and the two will mix
  • once this happens, there will no longer be different air masses and the depression will occlude and decay.
30
Q

CLOUD TYPES - CIRRUS

A
  • High level above 6,000m
  • White tufts or filaments
  • made up of ice crystals
  • No precipitation
31
Q

CLOUD TYPES - CIRROSTRATUS

A
  • High level above 6,000m
  • Transparent sheet or veil
  • Halo phenomena
  • Ice crystals
  • No precipitation
32
Q

CLOUD TYPES - ALTOSTRATUS

A
  • Mid to low level 2,000 - 6,000m
  • greyish or bluish layer
  • can obscure the sun
  • rain or snow
33
Q

CLOUD TYPES - NIMBOSTRATUS

A
  • Low level 0 - 2,000m
  • Thicker dark cloud
  • can block out the sun
  • heavy intense rain or snow
34
Q

CLOUD TYPES - STRATOCUMULUS

A
  • Low level 0 - 2,000m
  • rounded cloud masses
  • darkish tint
  • light rain / drizzle
35
Q

CLOUD TYPES - STRATUS

A
  • Low level 0 - 2,000m
  • thin grey - white
  • sheet like
  • covering the whole sky
  • light rain / drizzle
36
Q

CLOUD TYPES - CUMULUS

A
  • Low level 0 - 2,000m
  • fluffy white
  • cotton ball clouds
  • flat bases
  • domed shape tops
  • showers or rain or snow
37
Q

CLOUD TYPES - CUMULONIMBUS

A
  • Low level 0 - 2,000m
  • large dark vertical clouds
  • bulging tops
  • can grow to large heights on humid days
  • showers, thunder and lightning
38
Q

PASSAGE OF A LOW (DEPRESSION) NH:

  1. AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT
A

P - steadily drops

T - cold, steady increase

C - base drops, thickens cirrus to altostratus

W - steady increase and direction backs

P - none at first

39
Q

PASSAGE OF A LOW ( DEPRESSION) NH:

  1. PASSAGE OF THE WARM FRONT
A

P - continues to fall

T - continues to increase

C - lowers and thickens Nimbostratus

W - Increases and veers with strong gusts

P - can be heavy rainfall, snow on leading edge

40
Q

PASSAGE OF A LOW (DEPRESSION) NH:

  1. WARM SECTOR OF DEPRESSION
A

P - Steadies

T - steadies, mild

C - may thin or break

W - Steadies may back slightly

P - Drizzles or stops

41
Q

PASSAGE OF A LOW (DEPRESSION) NH:

  1. PASSAGE OF COLD FRONT
A

P - Increases

T - sudden decrease

C - thickens cumulonimbus

W - Increases, possibly gale, sharp veer

P - heavy rain, may have thunder, hail and sleet

42
Q

PASSAGE OF A LOW (DEPRESSION) NH:

  1. COLD SECTOR
A

P - continues to increase

T - remains cold

C - High cover, thins with some cumulus

W - squally

P -showers

43
Q

WIND ROSE

A

top number = how many observations

mid number = percentage of variable winds

bottom number = percentage of calms

44
Q

SYNOPTIC CHART

A

A map showing the state of the atmosphere at any given time. showing isobars , weather fronts and pressure systems

45
Q

PROGNOSTIC CHART

A

A weather chart showing the future indication of expected weather. show’s iso bars weather fronts and pressure systems.

46
Q

PUBLISHED SOURCES OF WEATHER INFORMATION

A
  • Admiralty list of radio signals volume 3
  • Admiralty sailing directions
  • Ocean passages of the world
  • Admiralty routing charts
47
Q

SOURCES OF BROADCAST WEATHER INFORMATION

A

In harbour - VHF

in coastal - Navtex

in ocean - Inmarsat

Weather routing services - best route / storm advice

Weather fax

shipping forecast BBC

Internet

48
Q

SURFACE ANALYSIS CHART

A

surface analysis chart is a weather chart reflecting the state of the atmosphere over a large area at a given level and moment in time.

49
Q

DETERMINING WIND STRENGTH

A

The greater the friction the more it is slowed and larger the angle.

over the sea surface wind = 15’ degrees backed from the wind and 25% lighter

over the land = 30’ degrees backed from the wind and 50% less in strength

50
Q

ADMIRALTY ROUTEING CHART ITEMS

A

ocean current set and rate

wind rose - direction and force

mean air temperature

mean air pressure

mean sea temperature chartlet

dew point chartlet

GSK (8 decks)

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