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EOSC 114 > Storms 1 > Flashcards

Storms 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Thunderstorm hazards

A

lightning
tornado
hail
downpours of rain (flash flood)
downbursts of air (gustfronts)

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2
Q

Hurricane hazards

A

contain thunderstorms
storm surge / costal flooding
high waves
coastal erosion

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3
Q

in a lightning strike, what does the stepped leader do?

A

makes the first electrical connection between the cloud and the ground

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4
Q

what happens to the air when lightning strikes?

A

becomes super hot and explodes as a supersonic shockwave
- rapid expansion of air molecules create sound waves radiate out abt 1 mile/ 5 secs

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5
Q

What are the two most common lightning

A

intracloud (IC)
cloud to ground (CG)

1 to 10 more IC than CG

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6
Q

Is air a good conductor?

A

Nope, insulator
- can only flow thru if voltage very high

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7
Q

Where do CG negative strikes come from?

A

cloud base

  • most initiate btwn mid-level -charge region & small positive charge region at base
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8
Q

What kind of CG strike is more common?

A

Negative strikes

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9
Q

What is a return stroke?

A

when there is a connection between the leaders from cloud (+) and ground (-), channel forms and electrons accel thru it causing heat and flash

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10
Q

How does a CG Negative strike happen?

A
  1. negatively charged step leaders -> ground
  2. positively charged leader from the ground reaches up
  3. the first connection completes the channel and electrons accel thru it = heat
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11
Q

Where do CG positive strikes come from?

A

the anvil
(higher in the thunderstorm)

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12
Q

Which is stronger and more dangerous, positive or negative CG strike?

A

Positive
-> travel greater distance, so they’re much hotter, brighter, longer in duration

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13
Q

CG Positive strikes strength and frequency

A

less frequent

can be 10x more strong (5x hotter than surface of sun)
are primary cause of wildfires

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14
Q

Where is lightning alley

A

Florida in North America

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15
Q

highest density (most frequent) of lightning worldwide

A

Central Africa

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16
Q

how many deaths does CG lightning strikes cause every year?

A

2.4 million CG strikes/year
6-12
- can be killed if directly struck

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17
Q

How do we detect lightning

A

ground based networks
space based satellites

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18
Q

Sound travels ____ than light

A

slower

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19
Q

How far away is lightning?

A

time (sec) between seeing lightning and hearing thunder
÷ 3
= number of km away

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20
Q

30/30 rule

A

if 30 seconds or less btwn the flash and bang,
move indoors and stay for 30 min after the last lightning/thunder

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21
Q

What are some safe areas to hide from lightning?

A

strong buildings
fully enclosed metal cars

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22
Q

What are some unsafe areas to hide from lightning?

A

small structures
metallic objects (pole, fence)
trees (can explode), water, open fields

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23
Q

What can we do if we are caught in the open during a lightning storm?

A

lightning safety crouch
- CPR can revive smb if striked

24
Q

Explain the lightning safety crouch

A

feet together (if apart, it’ll make a circuit thru you)
hands on ears
bend down

25
Q

Thunderstorm scientific term

A

Cumulonimbus (CB)

26
Q

What are thunderstorms? Describe their appearance.

A

thick clouds w lightning & thunder, made of large cells that evolve in 15-30 min

Overshooting top or dome (if updraft too strong)
anvil/mushroom (can be 100 kms!)
mammatus clouds right below anvil
rain
main updraft (15km) & striations
flanking line / cloud base near ground (1km)
wall cloud
funnel cloud or tornado

27
Q

What is the anvil?

A

thick cloud top near top of troposphere (10-15km, but can be 100km)

28
Q

What causes /are the fuel for thunderstorms?

A

energy comes from temperature and humidity

29
Q

Multicell thunderstorms

A

contain 2+ cells

30
Q

Squall line

A

a line of thunderstorms

31
Q

What are the three types of supercell thunderstorms

A

low precipitation
classical
high precipitation

32
Q

supercell thunderstorm

A

very large, rotating single cell
can cause tornadoes, hail, lightning, heavy rain, strong winds

33
Q

What are the three stages of thunderstorm devleopment?

A
  1. Cumulus stage
    - updraft
    - no rain
    - no anvil
  2. Mature Stage
    - up & down drafts
    - heavy rain
    - crisp anvil
  3. Dissipating stage
    - downdraft
    - light rain
    - fuzzy anvil
34
Q

Name the layers of atmosphere

A

Thermosphere

Mesopause (85km)

Mesosphere

Stratopause (45km)

Stratosphere

Tropopause (11km)

Troposphere

35
Q

How does the warm ground affect the air?

A

Sensible heat
- warms air in troposphere
- increases TEMP

Latent heat
- evaporates water from lakes
- increases HUMIDITY

Together, they power storms!

36
Q

What solar energy Is absorbed at the 3 heights?

A
  1. thermosphere -> absorb non visible light
  2. stratopause -> absorb UV by good ozone
  3. earth surface -> absorbs light & heats ground
37
Q

Describe the charging cycle for Tstorms

A

Charge: solar heating input (day)
Discharge: Infrared radiation cooling (day & night)

38
Q

When is the most likely time for Tstorm formation and why?

A

Late afternoon & early evening

End of charging cycle
- Greatest accumulation of heat near sunset everyday

39
Q

most thunderstorms happen in which part of the atmosphere?

A

troposphere

40
Q

How is lightning born

A

btwn two oppositely charged regions
-> thunderstorms have ability to separate charge = powerful electric fields

leaders
- electrically conductive channels
- tunnel path through air
- branch out in two directions in attempt to neutralize charge separation

41
Q

lightning that occur inside the cloud are called?

A

cloud flashes
intercloud lightning

42
Q

lightning that connects to the ground is called?

A

ground flash
cloud to ground lightning (CG)

43
Q

what happens to the air when lightning strikes?

A

becomes super hot and explodes as a supersonic shockwave
- rapid expansion of air molecules create sound waves radiate out abt 1 mile/ 5 secs

44
Q

the sound we hear is called

A

thunder

45
Q

What are recoil leaders

A

positive
- scout path thru air with flickering segments following
- form on decayed segments of highly branched positive leaders

46
Q

How are CG lightning characterized as positive or negative? Where do the electrons go?

A

depend on net charge of bolt shifts to the ground

-CG
negative leader w surplus of electrons connect to ground, ground gains net negative charge

+CG
positive leader w deficit of electrons connect to ground, ground gains net positive charge

47
Q

Multistroke CG Flash

A
  • after -CG return stroke, multiple other return strokes follow = causes main channel to flicker
48
Q

Do return strokes of positive CG flicker?

A

rarely

49
Q

Smooth channel lightning

A

positive CG
due to lack of branching and strong positive leaders

“Branchless lightning” -> leaders hidden in clouds

50
Q

Bolt from the blue

A

bolt lead miles away from storm
startling zaps r prolly negative
lots of branching

51
Q

How much volts is needed to make a spark in the air?

A

3 billion volts / km

52
Q

What percent of Canadian CG lightning is positive?

A

10-25%

53
Q

Percent of people who survive a lightning strike

A

90%

54
Q

Favorable Tstorm locations in CANADA

A

praries cuz of advection

55
Q

Favorable Tstorm locations in US

A

Florida, gulf states

56
Q

Favorable Tstorm locations in general

A

close to equator
- warm ocean currents = warm humid air

57
Q

Advection

A

warm humid air carried by wind

EOSC 114 (30 decks)

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