Meteorology- Dynamics of Weather Flashcards
What is the primary cause of weather?
Variations in solar energy on the earth’s surface.
What is adiabatic temperature changes?
Temperature change when no heat is added. The temperature change is caused by pressure only
What is the unsaturated air flowing upslope cooling rate?
3 C per 1,000 feet
What is a Katabatic wind?
Wind that flows downslope becoming warmer and drier.
What is another word for anti-cyclone?
High pressure area
Air movement in a high pressure area?
Downward and outward
Air movement in a low pressure area?
Inward and upward
Why do the winds on the ground move straight from high to low pressure? Why do the winds aloft move in a circular pattern?
Surface friction
Coriolis effect
What is an elongated area of low pressure called?
Trough
What is a dryline?
A difference in dewpoint on each side of the line (dry air on one side, moist air on the other side)
Where are the strongest winds in a jet stream?
On the polar side of the jet stream.
How many jet streams are there?
Three, the polarfront, subtropical, and polar night
The tropopause is generally found when the free air temperatures are…
between -55C and -65C
If the atmosphere is getting colder than standard, is the atmosphere stable or unstable?
It is unstable.
Temperature inversions only exist in what type of atmosphere?
A stable atmosphere
What is a ground based temperature inversion?
Terrestrial radiation on a clear, relativity calm night
Where do cloud bases form?
Where the dewpoint lapse rate and the adiabatic lapse rate converge.
In what conditions do you get radiation fog?
Warm, moist air, clear sky, no wind, small temperature/dewpoint spread
What is advection fog?
Warm, moist air, moving over a coastal surface (coastal areas in the winter time)
What is lake fog?
Warm air flowing over a cold lake forming fog on the leeward side of the lake.
How does frost form?
Temperature of the collecting surface is below the dewpoint of the surrounding air and the dewpoint is below freezing.
What is so dangerous about supercooled liquid?
It freezes as soon as it strikes an object.
What do ice pellets at altitude mean?
There is freezing rain above your altitude. The freezing rain has turned to ice pellets.
If you are flying through wet snow, what does that mean?
The air that you are flying through is above freezing.
