Meteorology Flashcards
The troposphere
The lowest densest part
Clouds and storms occur
As you rise through the troposphere temperature decreases
Bottom
The stratosphere
Very dry above troposphere
Temperatures increase bc of the ozone
Gas Osborne ultraviolet radiation
The mesosphere
Very clean
No water vapor
Temperature decreases
Above ozone and stratosphere
The thermosphere
Highest layer
Meteors disintegrate
Air pressure and water vapor decrease
Ultraviolet radiation is absorbed from the
Ozone
What did volcanoes release into the earth
Water vapor
carbon dioxide
Nitrogen
When was the ozone formed
When oxygen was available
What are greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Water vapor
They trap heat close to the surface
Weather and climate
Climate is more predictable than weather
Solid moisture
Ice Snow Hail Sleet Frost
Liquid moisture is
Rain
Dew
Fog
Water droplets
Gaseous moisture is
Water vapor
What does water vapor cause
Humidity
What are clouds made of
Ice crystals and water droplets
What is transpiration
How plants release moisture into the air
Water cycle
Movement of moisture between the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere
Air pressure is caused by
The weight of the air pushing down
What does air pressure do when altitude increases
Decrease
High pressure
Good nice dry clear weather
Low pressure
Warm moist cloudy unstable weather
What is a barometer
What air pressure is measured with
What is a horizontal air movement
Wind
Anemometer
Measures wind speed
What is atmospheric temperature caused by
The absorption of heat from earth and from the sun
Weather conditions change due to
The movement of air masses
Air mass forms when
A body of air remains nearly stationary over a large section of earths surface
If an air mass forms Over water it will
Be moist and low pressure
If an air mass forms over land
It will be dry with high pressure
Continental tropical
Hot land
cT
Hot dry air
Continental polor
cP
Cold land
Cold dry air
Maritime polor
mP
Cool ocean
Cool moist air
Maritime tropical
mT
Warm ocean
Warm moist air
Prevailing winds and upper air currents
Determine the movement of air masses
Fronts
Boundaries between air masses
Cold fronts
Leading edge of cooler air
Warm fronts
The leading edge of warmer air
Precipitation is likely to occur at front boundary’s when
Warm moist air rises above the cooler air
What happens when a front passes
There is a change in the weather
It causes cloud formation, winds, precipitation, and air pressure and temperature changes
Thermometer
Measures air temperature
Barometer
Air pressure
Psychrometer
Humidity, dew point
Anemometer
Wind speed
Wind vane
Wind direction
Rain gauge
Amount of precipitation
What is weather monitored by
Weather balloons that send data to weather stations
Doppler radar
Detects
Tornados
Radar
Gives information about the intensity and speed of approaching storms
Satellite photographs
Show cloud cover
Computers
Collect and store large amounts of data and compare present weather data to past
Tornados
Rapidly rotating extreme low pressure storms. Extends down from a thunderstorm cloud. Made when cold air meets warm air. Hazardous winds with flying debris
People should seek low shelter or go under a sturdy structure
Thunderstorms
Form along a cold front
Lightning and heavy rain
Strong wind hail deadly lightning and the danger of flash floods
People should shelter indoors stay off electronics and stay away from flood areas
Ice storms/ blizzards
Heavy snow and winds
Can disrupt electric and phone services
Rainfall might freeze danger to frostbite and hypothermia
Stay indoors don’t drive have heat and food and water and medical supplies available
Hurricanes
Low pressure systems
Form over warm tropical oceans winds are greater than 74 mph
High winds high waves flooding from rain
Have food water and all necessary supplies and stay indoors go to emergency shelter if in a flood prone zone
Cold front
Mass of cold dense air moves in. Warmer air is pushed up (less dense) and forming precipitation
At the boundary heavy storms occur
Clouds at the front are cumulonimbus
Cool and clear skies come after
When occurring: heavy storms occur
Temperatures drop
Barometric pressure drops
Warm front
Mass of warm air moves in warm air moves above (less dense) moisture in warm air produces cloud covered skies
Weather that occurs at the bouncy is hours of rain or snow
Cirrus and stratus are formed at the front
After you will find warm weather
Front occurring: steady rain occurs
Temperature increases
Barometric pressure drops
Stationary front
Occurs when air masses meet and stop moving the air moves sideways whatever front advances first decides which it will be
Cirrus and stratus occur at the front
Weather you will find after is either a warm front of a cold front
