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Weather Academics Flashcards

1
Q

Natural Air Formula

A

Dry Air + Condensation Nuclei + Water Vapor

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2
Q

Where in the atmosphere does weather occur?

A

Troposphere

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3
Q

Between the 30° - 60° N latitude where the U.S. is located, what is the prevailing wind direction?

A

Westerly

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4
Q

Three Cell Theory of Circulation

A
  • Uneven heating of sun
  • Coriolis force
  • Tilt of earth
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5
Q

What direction does low pressure on northern hemisphere rotate?

A

Counterclockwise

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6
Q

What direction does high pressure on northern hemisphere rotate?

A

Clockwise

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7
Q

Water Vapor Content -

c =
m =

A

c = Continental Air Mass (Dry)
m = Maritime Air Mass (Moist)

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8
Q

Temperature -

A =
P =
T =
E=

A

A = Arctic Air Mass (Freezing)
P = Polar Air Mass (Cold)
T = Tropical Air Mass (Warm)
E = Equatorial Air Mass (Hot)

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9
Q

Four Methods of Heat Transfer

A
  • Radiation
  • Conduction
  • Convection
  • Advection
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10
Q

How is heat transfered through radiation?

A

As Electromagnetic Waves

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11
Q

What is insolation?

A

Radiation from the Sun to the Earth

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12
Q

What is terrestrial radiation?

A

Radiation leaving Earth into space

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13
Q

Temperature Inversion

A

A layer of air characterized by an increase in temperature by altitude

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14
Q

Two Types of Temperature Inversion

A

Nocturnal and Frontal

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15
Q

Difference between Convection and Advection

A

Convection is the vertial transfer while Advection is horizontal

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16
Q

In the late evening, a thick layer of clouds have moved over your airfield. Will a nocturnal happen this evening?

A

No it will not because the clouds prevent inversion from happening by keeping the warmer air near the surface.

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17
Q

Standard Day Pressure

A

29.92” Hg
1013.2 hP/mb

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18
Q

How is change in pressure depicted on a weather chart?

A

Isobars which are generally drawn 4 mb apart

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19
Q

Pressure Gradient Force

A

Rate at which air will accelerate depends on rate at which pressure changes with distance

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20
Q

Strong Pressure Gradient Force is

A

Isobars are closely spaced together

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21
Q

Weak Pressure Gradient Force

A

Isobars are separated further apart

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22
Q

In theory, at what altitude does surface friction occur?

A

2,000ft AGL

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23
Q

When below 2,000ft AGL how are the winds changed when surface friction is applied?

High Pressure:
Low pressure:

A
  • High pressure: The winds diverge away from the center
  • Low pressure: The winds converge towards the center
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24
Q

What is High Pressure on the Northern Hemisphere called?

A

Anticyclone

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25
What is Low Pressure on the Northern Hemisphere called?
Cyclone
26
What indication tells you what pressure you are flying into?
Low Pressure = Left Crosswinds High Pressure = Right Crosswinds
27
Deposition
Gas goes to solid without being a liquid first
28
Sublimation
Solid goes to gas without being a liquid first
29
How is flight performance affected by moisture in the atmosphere?
Less air density = higher density altitude = reduction in lift
30
Three atmospheric conditions that provide best lift?
1. High Pressure 2. Low Temperature 3. Low Humidity
31
Adiabatic Process
When the temperature of a gas is changed without the addition or deletion of heat energy
32
Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate
3°C / 1,000ft
33
Moist Adiabatic Lapse Rate
1.5°C / 1,000ft
34
An example of Adiabatic Process
Air being lifted over a mountain range will cool climbing on the windward side and heat up as it moves downslope on the leeward side.
35
LCL
Lifted Condensation Level
36
Lifted Condensation Level
Rising air temperature is the same as the dew point temperature and clouds are formed
37
LFC
Level of Free Convection
38
Level of Free Convection
Where the rising air temperature is the same as the ambient air temperature
39
Clouds in low altitude in an unstable environment?
Cumuliform
40
Clouds in low altitude in a stable environment?
Stratiform
41
Low Clouds
(Within 6,500ft AGL) Cumulus - CU Stratus - ST Stratocumulus - SC Cumulonimbus - CB
42
Middle Clouds
(6,500ft - 20,000ft AGL) Altostratus - AS Altocumulus - AC Nimbostratus - NS
43
High Clouds
(16,000ft to 45,000ft AGL) Cirrus - CI Cirrostratus - CS Cirrocumulus - CC
44
What would you expect to happen to wind direction and speed during a frontal passage?
90° shift in wind and wind speed is based upon current pressure gradient force
45
What happens as warm air is lifted over a cold air mass?
It lifts, cools with altitude, condenses, creates clouds and "makes weather".
46
What can you expect to see if a cold front is moving really fast?
A squall line
47
Which front has temperature inversion?
All of them
48
Cause of Frontal Weather
Lifting warm air over cold air
49
The entire local flying area is covered in ST, NS, and AS clouds. What type of front is occuring?
Stable warm front
50
You are approaching the clouds in the following order: CS, AS, and NS. What changes can you expect?
Ceiling and visibility decreasing, chance of precipitation increasing
51
Why is the occluded front considered more complex?
Combination of both cold and warm front weather
52
# Flight Procedure Cold Front / Squal Lines
Land and wait
53
# Flight Procedure Warm Front / Stationary Front
Prepare for alternate landing location
54
# Flight Procedure Frontal Wave
Handle each front individually
55
# Flight Procedure Occluded Fronts
Circumnavigate or land
56
Types of Fog
Radiation Fog Advection Fog Precipitation-Induced Fog Upslope Fog Freezing Fog Ice Fog
57
What causes Radiation Fog?
Radiation cooling on clear, calm nights
58
What causes Advection Fog?
Warm, moist air moving over a cooler surface, deepens with wind between 3 - 9kts
59
What causes Precipitation-Induced Fog?
Precipitation falling through cool, unsaturated air
60
What causes Upslope Fog?
Moist, stable air being lifted by sloping terrain
61
What causes Freezing Fog?
When supercooled droplets contact a freezing surface
62
What causes Ice Fog?
Extremely cold temperatures and depositions <= -30°C
63
Types of Ice
Rime Clear Mixed Frost
64
How is Frost formed?
Ice crystals formed by deposition of water vapor contacting a cold surface
65
How is Rime Ice formed?
Forms from small supercooled water droplets
66
How is Clear Ice formed?
Forms from large supercooled water droplets
67
How is Mixed Ice formed?
Formed as a combination of rime and clear ice
68
How is Freezing Rain formed?
Rain droplets fall through a frontal inversion into a layer of air which has sub-zero temperature
69
Categories of Ice Intensity
- Trace - Light - Moderate - Severe (Immediate Diversion)
70
Severe Icing Altitudes
10,000ft MSL to 18,000ft MSL
71
Icing Hazards
- Loss of autorotative capability - Reduces lift - Increases drag and weight - Reduces speed at which the rotor will stall - Reduces visibility when ice forms on windshield - Reduces air flow to engines when ice forms on screens - Pitot and / or static source icing results in instrument error
72
Thunderstorm Development Factors
- Unstable or conditionally unstable air - High moisture content - Lifting action
73
Thunderstorm Types
- Air Mass - Orographic - Frontal
74
Air Mass Thunderstorm Cause
Caused by thermal convective activity; surface heating
75
Orographic Thunderstorm Cause
Terrain Effects
76
Frontal Thunderstorm Cause
- Cold Front; Squall Lines - Warm Front - Stationary Front - Occluded Front
77
Thunderstorm Developmental Stages
- Towering Cumulus - Mature - Dissipating
78
What is a microburst?
Short-lived powerful downburst associated with convective activity
79
Define IFR conditions by ceiling and visibility
Ceiling 500ft AGL to less than 1,000ft AGL AND / OR Visibility 1SM to less than 3SM
80
Winds for Warm Front
Behind - Southwest In Front - South East
81
Winds for Cold Front
Behind - Northwest In Front - Southwest
82
What are the hazards associated with an outflow boundary?
- Gusting Wind - Wind Shift - Low-level Wind Shear - Turbulence - Possible Storm Development

Common Core (23 decks)

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