Mid Latitude Cyclones

Question 1

Other names

Answer 1

Frontal depression
Temperate cyclone
Extra-tropical cyclone

Question 2

Location

Answer 2

40° - 60° N/S of the equator

Question 3

Direction of movement

Answer 3

West to East

Question 4

Corriolis force

Answer 4

The effect of Earth’s rotation that causes wind to be deflected to the left in the S-hemisphere and right in the N-hemisphere

Question 5

Pressure

Answer 5

Very LOW (~996 hPa)

Question 6

Diameter

Answer 6

~1500 - 3000 km

Question 7

Speed

Answer 7

~50 - 60 km/h

Question 8

Duration

Answer 8

4 - 14 days long

Question 9

Multiple MLC’s touching each other

Answer 9

Families

Question 10

Multiple MLC’s not touching each other

Answer 10

Groups

Question 11

Conditions for formation

Answer 11

Warm moist air meeting cold dry air.
Upper air divergence.
A trigger for development of LP. (Jet stream/Mountain Ranges)

Question 12

Name the stages.

Answer 12

Initial Stage.
Developing Stage.
Mature Stage.
Occluded Stage.
Dissipated Stage.

Question 13

Initial Stage

Answer 13

Warm moist air meeting cold dry air.
Winds blow in opposite directions.
Polar front remains stationary.

Question 14

Developing Stage

Answer 14

Waves develop in Polar front.

Warm air extends into cold air and rises creating LP.

Question 15

Mature Stage

Answer 15

Wave increases and fronts develop.

Air flow around LP becomes cyclonic forming varied wind directions.

Question 16

Occluded Stage

Answer 16

Cold air is faster, cold front catches warm front.
Fronts join.
Warm air forced to rise. Causes widespread rain.

Question 17

Dissipated Stage

Answer 17

Entire warm sector above ground.
No fronts.
Isobars resume regular pattern.
Light gusts of cold air.