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Water Resources - Exam 1 > Precipitation > Flashcards

Precipitation Flashcards

1
Q

Atmosphere

A

movement and storage of water is in response to general global circulation and to local vapor pressure gradients

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2
Q

Weather

A

constitutes the current conditions of atmosphere (pressure, temp, wind, humidity)

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3
Q

Climate

A

summation of weather overtime

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4
Q

Pressure

A

result of particles moving about randomly in the atmosphere; force/unit area (lb/in^2 or psi)

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5
Q

Pressure at Sea Level

A

14.7 psi or 1013.250 dynes/cm^2 (millibar)

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6
Q

Standard Pressure

A

30 inches of Mercury (barometer)

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7
Q

Pressure We Feel

A

14.7 lb on every in^2

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8
Q

Column of Atmosphere

A

weighs 14.7 lb over 1in^2

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9
Q

Water Replacing Mercury

A

33 ft water

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10
Q

Pressure and Density

A

decrase with altitude

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11
Q

Density

A

changes due to varying mixes of substances and gravity

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12
Q

Atmosphere

A

considered as 400 miles deep

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13
Q

Jet Stream

A

major transport mechanism for weather patterns and circulation; 500 mb

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14
Q

High and Low Pressures

A

exist because the atmosphere is a fluid & can pile up, thin down, speed up, slow down, etc.

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15
Q

Winds are Created By

A

gravity which acts on varying density chunks of atmosphere or differences in pressure (high to low)

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16
Q

Coriolis Effect

A

an inertial or fictitious force that acts on objects in motion within a frame of reference that rotates; influences movement of atmosphere

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17
Q

High Pressure Rotation

A

clockwise

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18
Q

Low Pressure Rotation

A

Counter-clockwise

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19
Q

Good Weather

A

high pressure systems

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20
Q

Bad Weather

A

low pressure systems

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21
Q

Significance of Strong Low Pressure

A

associated with stronger winds (stronger pressure difference = stronger wind)

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22
Q

Barometer

A

measures pressure; responds to atmospheric pressure

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23
Q

Liquid Barometer

A

mercury; glass tube is without protection; has to stay verticle

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24
Q

Mechanical Barometer

A

less precise/accurate than mercury

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25
Q

Why do we use mercury and not water in barometers?

A

equivalent is 33 ft of water

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26
Q

Temperature

A

expression of heat, not heat of an object

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27
Q

Temperature Changes With

A

altitude (not at same rate as pressure & density)

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28
Q

Temperature Drops

A

may not be uniform at all

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29
Q

Boyle’s General Gas Law

A

p1v1=p2v2

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30
Q

Charle’s Law

A

V1/T1=V2/T2

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31
Q

Thermometer

A

measures temperature; min/max

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32
Q

Thermometer Issues

A

don’t show records (past data)

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33
Q

Humidity

A

measure of water stored in atmosphere; expression of water vapor and saturation

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34
Q

Water Vapor

A

water in atmosphere in gas form

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35
Q

Water Content

A

extremely variable in space and time

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36
Q

Water

A

3rd most plentiful substance in well mixed homosphere (4%)

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37
Q

Nitrogen

A

1st most plentiful substance in well mixed homosphere (78%)

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38
Q

Oxygen

A

2nd most plentiful substance in well mixed homosphere (21%)

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39
Q

Carbon Dioxide

A

4th most plentiful substance in well mixed homosphere (<1%)

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40
Q

Water Content Varies With

A

latitude, season, and altitude

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41
Q

Vapor Pressure

A

partial pressure of atmosphere due to presense of water droplets; pressure exerted by presence of water; mb or in. of mercury

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42
Q

Saturation Vapor Pressure

A

maximum the atmosphere can hold

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43
Q

Warmer Air

A

holds more water

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44
Q

Cooler Air

A

holds less water

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45
Q

As Air Cools

A

amount of water doesn’t necessarily change; ability to hold water reduces

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46
Q

Saturation Vapor Pressure is Reached When

A

temperature drops to the point where the holding capacity of air equals the amount of water in the air

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47
Q

Dewpoint

A

reached when temperature drops to point where actual vapor pressure equals saturation vapor pressure at constant pressure; condensation forms

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48
Q

Dewpoint is >32 F

A

condensate will be water (dew)

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49
Q

Dewpoint is <32 F

A

condensate will be frost

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50
Q

Supercooling

A

temperature gets below dewpoint without condensation forming

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51
Q

-40 C or F

A

spontaneous condensation occurs; dust or ice crystals act as condensation nuclei

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52
Q

Fahrenheit (F)

A

9/5 C + 32

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53
Q

Over Ice

A

vapor pressure is less than over water; ice crystals are good condensation nuclei

54
Q

Relative Humidity

A

expression of how much water atmosphere is holding compared to what could be held

55
Q

Why does the air in our houses fees so dry in winter?

A

cold air that seeps into our house has a lower humidity; warm air holds more moisture

56
Q

Why do we feel so warm on humid days?

A

air is saturated with water, so sweat evaporates slowly

57
Q

Adiabatic

A

cooling without giving off heat

58
Q

Adiabatic Processes

A

when air particle is lifted through atmosphere it cools (volume is larger and pressure is less), holds less water, expands, and may not lose heat

59
Q

Clouds

A

condensed water/ice droplets; not all provide precipitation

60
Q

Ice Clouds

A

appear more “feathery” than that of water vapor

61
Q

Cloud Basic Scenario

A

warm air at surface and begins to rise, cools and relative humidity rises until saturation

62
Q

Cloud Types

A

cirrus, alto, stratus, nimbo, strato, cumulo

63
Q

Cloud Cover

A

Clear <10%, Scattered 10-50%, Broken 50-90%, Overcast >90%

64
Q

Fog

A

cloud close to the ground

65
Q

Radiation Fog

A

back radiation from Earth cools the surface and layer of atmosphere immediately adjacent to earth; cool clear nights

66
Q

Advective Fog

A

warm moist air transported over cool surface

67
Q

Steam Fog

A

temperature of lake greater than air above

68
Q

Fog Drip

A

water droplets from fog adhere to leaves/needles of trees/others

69
Q

Fog Layers

A

flat/horizontal sections

70
Q

Global Circulation

A

division at equator; wind moves up and away from equator towards the poles and back again

71
Q

Each Hemisphere

A

has 3 cells of circulation; rotating up and away from equator towards poles

72
Q

Creating Doldrums/Horse Latitude

A

at 30 degrees North and South latitude colder air sinks

73
Q

Air at Poles

A

colder air sinks

74
Q

Creating Polar Front

A

at 60 degrees North and South latitude, cold and warm air converge

75
Q

Doldrums/Horse Latitude

A

bored; state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or depression

76
Q

Polar Front

A

area where cyclonic storms are generated, dry easterlies mix with warm moist westerlies

77
Q

Easterly/Westerly

A

refer to which direction the wind is coming from

78
Q

Jet Stream

A

cooler and warmer currents produce front with associated pressure gradient; doesn’t cross equator

79
Q

Jet Stream Winds

A

produced as air flows from high to low pressure; 18,000-30,000 ft

80
Q

Precipitation Generally Caused By

A

lifting a parcel of air to a zone of lower pressure and corresponding pressure, cooling causes dew point, and creates cloud

81
Q

Cyclonic Storm

A

large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure; cool easterlies brush against warm moist westerlies and motion begins, produced cold and warm fronts, mixing of cold dense air with warm moist air produced precipitation area

82
Q

Summers Here

A

quick and intense rains, flash floods

83
Q

Fall/Spring Here

A

drawn out rains and cover larger area

84
Q

Terrain

A

can cause lifting, which is a major component in precipitation mechanism

85
Q

Mountains

A

provide lifting for warm advecting moist air; lift, cooling, snow, go off other side warm and dry

86
Q

Lake Effect

A

have their own ecosystem

87
Q

Convectional Storms

A

thunderstorms

88
Q

Thunderstorms

A

warm moist air rapidly lifts (unstable), air cools, precipitation forms, as it falls it cools the air

89
Q

Thunderstorm Updraft

A

warm moist air lifts up

90
Q

Thunderstorm Downdraft

A

falling precip cools air; spreads out in all directions at ground, produces gust front

91
Q

Point of Origin

A

source/feed of warm moist air; appear to “backbuild” here

92
Q

Cold Gust Front

A

acts as cold front; can feed other storms

93
Q

Why Urban Areas Contribute to Thunderstorms

A

presence of heat source (pavement reflect heat) and typically darker areas; more flash floods

94
Q

Rainfall

A

varies in space and time; amounts vary considerably

95
Q

Spatial and Temporal Variability

A

variance of space and time

96
Q

Raindrop Size

A

0.4 - 0.7 mm

97
Q

Raindrop Velocity

A

> 20 mph

98
Q

Terminal Velocity of Rain

A

reached in about 30ft

99
Q

Raindrop Shape

A

not the traditional dew drop; dome > bowl > splits in 2

100
Q

Terminal Velocity

A

doesn’t speed up anymore

101
Q

Rain Guage

A

measures rainfall depth

102
Q

Issue with Rain Guages

A

point coverage and interference (trees, wind, etc.)

103
Q

Radar

A

radio detection and ranging

104
Q

Standard Guage

A

non-recording; large: 20in, small: 7in

105
Q

Fisher and Porter Tipping Bucket

A

most common mechanical guage; records measurements

106
Q

Universal

A

elite of mechanical guages; vacuum system to reduce wind effect and collect more

107
Q

Radars in Place Right Now

A

160

108
Q

WSR-88D

A

Weather Surveillance Radar - 1988 Doppler

109
Q

WSR-88D Purpose

A

provide coverage for large % of the US

110
Q

WSR-88D Impacts

A

energy pulses, Z-R Relationship, calibration, assume drop size and distribution, zero-degree isotherm

111
Q

Ice Types

A

hail, rime, sleet, graupel (large)

112
Q

Ice

A

result of all lift and picking up moisture, lots of power; difficult to measure, very high reflectivity

113
Q

Snowpack

A

compressed and hardened by its own weight; reported in depth

114
Q

Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)

A

ratio of 10:1 and density is 10%

115
Q

Snowfall Most Dense

A

high water content, high temp

116
Q

Snowfall Least Dense

A

low water content, low temp

117
Q

Measure Snow and SWE

A

guages/boards or tubes

118
Q

Why is it difficult to predict snow with radar?

A

storm’s track and intensity can change it drastically

119
Q

Spatial and Temporal Variation Issue

A

doesn’t represent total area coverage,

120
Q

Duration

A

length of time rain falls

121
Q

Intensity

A

rate of rain fall or amount/duration

122
Q

Frequency

A

occurrence/probability; return period

123
Q

Greater the Duration

A

greater the amount & lower the intensity

124
Q

More Frequent the Storm

A

shorter the duration & less the intensity

125
Q

100 Year Event

A

chance of it occurring each year; 1/100th chance of getting that event in 1 year

126
Q

2 Year Event

A

event will occur on average every 2 years; 50% probability occurring in any given year

127
Q

How to Calculate Areal Average

A

arithmetic, thiessen, isohyetal, radar grid based

128
Q

Calculate Areal Average: Arthimetic

A

add all precipitation values and divide (obtain mean)

129
Q

Calculate Areal Average: Thiessen

A

find area of each gage (connect gages and split into 3 sections from center of gages); weight has more importance and sums to 1 (all gages = 100%); only do it once and just calculate for weight

130
Q

Calculate Areal Average: Isohyetal

A

find area between lines; better method; do it for each storm

131
Q

Calculate Areal Average: Radar Grid Based

A

area put onto grid to see concentrated area; need a radar

Water Resources - Exam 1 (6 decks)

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