Tropical storms Flashcards
What is the environmental lapse rate?
(ELR): The decrease in temperature of the whole atmosphere with height
Which air type stores more air? High density or low density?
Lower density air stores less air
Higher density air stores more air
What is the rate for ELR?
100M/0.65c
What is Dry adiabatic lapse rate?
The decrease in temperature of air parcels with height. (DALR)
What is the DALR rate?
1c/100m
What is atmospheric stability?
Occurs when ELR cools more slowly than a rising air parcel DALR, which is cooling at a faster rate
What is atmospheric instability?
Occurs when an air parcel (DALR) cools more slowly than the atmosphere (ELR) which is cooling faster => produces unstable weather
What is conditional instability?
Occurs when ELR is lower than the DALR but higher than the SALR
What is saturated adiabatic lapse rate?
The saturated adiabatic lapse rate (SALR) is the rate at which rising saturated air cools
What are the types of rainfall?
Orographic, convectional, frontal
What are the types of fronts?
Warm front, occluded, cold
What is orographic rainfall?
Warming air rising and ascending over hills, cools , losing precipitation
What is convectional rainfall?
Warming and cooling of air, condenses, and cools , resulting in precipitation
What is an occluded front?
An occluded front is formed when a cold front catches up with a warm front. Warm air is forced up the surface
What is the Coriolis force?
The invisible force that appears to deflect the wind, due to the rotation of the wind
What is the eye?
The centre of the hurricane. Contains high pressure
What is the eye-wall?
Surrounds the interior region
What are hurricanes measured in?
Simpson hurricane wind-scale
What is latent heat?
Latent heat, also called a phase change, is a powerful force in weather. When water transforms from gas to liquid or solid (or vise versa), it is called a phase change. The heat required to change phases is called latent heat
Why is there no corilius force at the equator
The Coriolis force is zero at the equator because the Earth’s rotation doesn’t cause sideways deflection there.
What is saturated air?
Maximum amount of water vapour that can be held
What is high pressure?
Winds are light , winds blow in a clockwise direction. Air is descending
What is low pressure?
Air is ascending , blowing in an anticlockwise direction. Weather is usually, weather is usually unsettled , water vapour rises cools => Precipitation
How are hurricanes formed?
Warm ocean water (27°C+) heats air → air rises → low pressure forms.
Rising air cools & condenses → clouds form → heat is released.
Heat release warms surrounding air → more air rises → pressure drops further.
More air is drawn in → storm intensifies → rotation begins
Positive feedback: More heat → stronger winds → bigger storm.
Weakens when moving over land or cool water (loses energy source).
