Meteorology part 2 Flashcards
1
Q
Cyclones
A
-area of low pressure around which the winds flow counterclockwise
(opposite in Southern hemisphere– clockwise)
-converging air at the surface that rises
-cloudy, wet, stormy
2
Q
Anticyclones
A
- high pressure systems
- clear, calm, fairly dry
- opposite of cyclone in every way!!!
3
Q
thunderstorms
A
- small area storms formed by the strong upward movement of warm, moist, unstable air
- accompanied by lightning, thunder, rain, sometimes hail
- formed from cumulonimbus clouds
4
Q
air mass thunderstorms
A
- form in warm, moist air mass
- occur in spring and summer
- last less than 1 hour, single, widely scattered
5
Q
frontal thunderstorms
A
- occur in lines along a frontal surface
- stronger and may last several hours
- can produce heavy rain and flooding
6
Q
lightning
A
- a discharge of electricity from a thundercloud to the ground, or cloud to cloud
- produced by all thunderstorms
7
Q
tornado
A
- a narrow, funnel shaped column of spiral winds that extends downward from the cloud base and touches the ground
- usually occur during spring and summer and most occur in the late afternoon
- funnel is a mixture of clouds and dust
8
Q
waterspout
A
a tornado over the water/weaker than a tornado
9
Q
Fujita Scale
A
- scale used for categorizing tornados
- higher # = more danger
10
Q
hurricane
A
an intense tropical low pressure area with sustained winds starting at 74mph
11
Q
storm surge
A
- currents formed when hurricanes pile water up along the shore and blow it inland
- most damaging part of a hurricane
12
Q
Saffir- Simpson
A
how hurricanes are measured
13
Q
eye
A
- central area of sinking air; 15-20 km wide
- low pressure
- higher temperatures
- calmer winds
- winds most violent just outside the eye
14
Q
watch
A
threat of storm conditions within 24-26 hours
15
Q
warning
A
due to strike within 24 hours
16
Q
air pressure
A
- pressure that the air exerts on the Earth
- directed equally in all directions
17
Q
what affects air pressure
A
temperature, water vapor, elevation
18
Q
barometer
A
instrument used to measure air pressure
19
Q
falling barometer
A
warmer, humid weather, predictor of storms
20
Q
rising barometer
A
cooler, drier weather
21
Q
isobars
A
lines of equal pressure
22
Q
what kind of systems are hurricanes
A
low pressure systems
23
Q
rising air =
A
cloud formation and precipitation
24
Q
sinking air =
A
clear skies
25
wind
movement of air
26
anemometer
instrument that measures wind speed
27
wind vane
- measures wind direction
- always points into the wind
||---->~~~~~~WIND
28
air flows from...
areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure
29
solar radiation
ultimate energy source for most wind
30
what 3 factors combine to control wind
pressure differences, Coriolis effect, friction
31
pressure gradient
high to low pressure
32
friction
only important close to surface, not at height
33
Coriolis force
inertia caused by earth's rotation
34
Coriolis effect
deflection of wind and ocean currents caused by the earth's rotation
35
what cause ocean currents
winds and the Coriolis effect
36
cold currents go...
| warm currents go...
..along the west coasts of continents
| ..along east coasts
37
jet stream
- narrow belt of strong, high speed air
| - height of about 10-15km
38
what more affects surface winds
friction with earth's surface
39
what more affects Geostrophic winds
Coriolis force
40
polar easterlies
| GLOBAL WIND
- cold, but weak winds start between 50 degrees and 60 degrees and go to the poles
- aren't constant
41
westerlies
| GLOBAL WIND
belt of very strong winds between 40 degrees and 50 degrees
42
trade winds
| GLOBAL WIND
warm, steady winds between 0 degrees and 30 degrees
43
doldrums
| GLOBAL WIND
calm, surface winds at the equator
44
sea breeze
| LOCAL WIND
flow of cool air from water to land during the day
45
land breeze
| LOCAL WIND
flow of cool air from land to water at night
46
el nino
- periodic warming of the ocean that occurs in the central and eastern Pacific (3-7 years) (strong)
- major el nino can cause extreme weather in many parts of the world
47
la nina
- surface temperatures in the eastern pacific are colder than avergae
- milder and drier weather in South
48
the Koppen Climate Classification
3 letter system
1st letter = temperature
2nd letter = precipitation
3rd letter = more specific temperature
49
climograph
graph showing the average temperatures and precipitation by month for a specific location
50
air mass
a large body of air that has the same temperature and humidity thruout
51
Air mass originates over land...
dry air mass (c) (continental)
52
Air mass originates in warm air...
warm air mass (T) (Tropical)
53
Air mass originates in cold air...
cold air mass (P) (Polar)
54
Air mass originates over ocean...
humid air mass (m) (maritime)
55
which air mass affects Wilmington
Maritime Tropical Atlantic (mT)
-brings mild, cloudy winters and hot, humid summers with hurricanes and thunderstorms
(moves North across eastern US)
56
radiosonde
- small balloon
- carried observatory which carries a radio transmitter
- sends signals about air pressure, temperature, and humidity
57
air front
boundary between 2 air masses having different temperatures and humidity
58
cold front
-transition zone where cold air mass replaces a warm air mass
-drawn as a blue line w/ blue triangles pointing in the direction of the fronts movement
-very strong storms w/ clear days following
(cold = more dense)
59
warm front
- transition zone where a warm air mass replaces a cold air mass
- drawn as red line w/ red half circles pointing in the direction of the fronts movement
- less severe weather, over a larger area
60
occluded front
- occurs when a faster moving cold front has caught up to a slower moving warm front
- drawn as a purple line w/ alternating semicircles and triangles
61
stationary front
- front is stalled (no movement -temp. gradient)
- drawn as alternating segements of red semicircles and blue triangles that point in opposite ways
- precipitation happens
62
locating fronts
strong temperature gradients, CCW rotation, lower pressure, precipitation, and clouds
