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Weather and Climate > Weather and Climate: Ch. 4 > Flashcards

Weather and Climate: Ch. 4 Flashcards

1
Q

Moving water molecules from a liquid to vapor and back to liquid

A

Hydrologic Cycle

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2
Q

Solid directly to gas (without passing through liquid state)

A

Sublimation

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3
Q

What is an example of sublimation?

A

shrinking of ice or snow

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4
Q

Water vapor directly to a solid

A

Deposition

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5
Q

What is an example of deposition?

A

frost

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6
Q

Amount of water vapor in air

A

Humidity

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7
Q

Measures how near the air is to saturation

A

Relative Humidity (RH)

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8
Q

Air at 100% relative humidity = …

A

air is completely saturated

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9
Q

Relative humidity _______

A

changes

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10
Q

RH varies _____ with temp

A

inversely

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11
Q

RH ________ as temp drops and __________ as temp rises

A

increases; decreases

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12
Q

Temp at which water vapor begins to condense

A

Dew Point Temp

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13
Q

Air reaches saturation at the …

A

dew point temp

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14
Q

What is a good measure of amount of water vapor in air

A

Dew Point Temp

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15
Q

High dew points = …

A

high water vapor content

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16
Q

low dew points = …

A

low water vapor content

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17
Q

When air temp and dew point are far apart, RH is _____

A

low

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18
Q

When air temp and dew point are close, RH is ____

A

high

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19
Q

When air temp and dew point are equal, RH is ________

A

100% (saturated)

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20
Q

Where are dew points highest?

A

over Gulf Coast states

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21
Q

Dew points are lowest over _______

A

interior

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22
Q

Dew point <55:

A

pleasant

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23
Q

Dew point 56-60:

A

comfortable

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24
Q

Dew point 61-65:

A

getting sticky

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25
Q

Dew point 66-70:

A

uncomfortable

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26
Q

Dew point 71-75:

A

opppressive

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27
Q

Dew point 76+:

A

miserable

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28
Q

In cold, polar air, low dew points = ____ air

A

dry

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29
Q

In cold, polar air, low dew points = _____ RH

A

high

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30
Q

During winter, RH inside a home can drop to extremely ___ values

A

low

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31
Q

Low RH inside a home can cause:

A

dry skin and chapped lips

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32
Q

Temp changes that result from changes in pressure

A

Adiabatic Temperature Changes

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33
Q

Imaginary volume of air

A

Parcel

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34
Q

Has no interchange of heat with its surroundings

A

Parcel

35
Q

Characteristics of Adiabatic cooling:

A
  • Rising parcel of air expands and cools
  • Sinking parcel is compressed and warms
  • Clouds form as air rises and cools
36
Q

Unsaturated parcel of air (RH < 100%)

A

Dry Adiabatic Rate (DAR)

37
Q

What is the DAR rate of heating or cooling?

A

10℃ for every 1000 meters (5.5℉ every 1000’)

38
Q

DAR is ______

A

constant

39
Q

Altitude at which parcel reaches saturation and clouds form

A

Lifting Condensation Level (LCL)

40
Q

Rate of temp decrease for a saturated (RH = 100%) parcel of air

A

Wet Adiabatic Rate (WAR)

41
Q

What does lifting result in?

A

cooling, condensation, cloud formation, and release of latent heat

42
Q

WAR is less than ___ and not _____

A

DAR; constant

43
Q

Why is WAR not constant?

A

due to release of latent heat

44
Q

WAR average at:

A

6℃/1000m or 3.3℉/1000’

45
Q

How do clouds develop?

A

As an air parcel rises and cools below dew point

46
Q

What are the 4 triggers for cloud development?

A
  1. Orographic Lifting
  2. Frontal Lifting
  3. Convergence
  4. Convection and Clouds
47
Q

Characteristics of Orographic Lifting

A
  • Air is forced upward by elevated terrain (mountains)
  • Air descends leeward slopes (downwind side)
  • Mountain ranges create different climates
  • Rain Shadow Desert
48
Q

Air is forced upward by elevated terrain (mountains):

A
  • Ascends windward slopes
  • Expands and cools, increasing RH
  • Clouds and precipitation can develop (LCL)
49
Q

Air descends leeward slopes (downwind side):

A
  • Compressed and warms
  • Existing clouds vaporize and RH decreases
50
Q

In orographic lifting, moist climates on ___________ slopes

A

windward

51
Q

In orographic lifting, dry climates on ___________ slopes

A

leeward

52
Q

Dry conditions that extend many miles downwind of a mountain range

A

Rain Shadow Desert

53
Q

Characteristics of Frontal Lifting

A
  • Warmer, less dense air is forced over cooler, denser air
  • Cloud development and possible precipitation
  • Responsible for most precipitation in mid-latitudes
54
Q

Characteristics of Convergence

A
  • Horizontal inflow of air that results in vertical lifting of air
  • Responsible for clouds and precipitation in a low pressure system
55
Q

Sea breeze convergence produces thunderstorms in ________ _________

A

central Florida

56
Q

In the convection and clouds trigger, unequal surface heating causes pockets of air (thermals) to ____

A

rise

57
Q

In the convection and clouds trigger, when warm parcels of air rise above LCL, …

A

clouds and afternoon showers may form

58
Q

Stable air = …

A

parcel resists vertical motion

59
Q

In stable air, parcel is ______ than surrounding air

A

cooler

60
Q

In stable air, parcel more ______ and sinks to its original position

A

dense

61
Q

Unstable air = …

A

parcel rises to an altitude where temp equals its surroundings

62
Q

In unstable air, parcel is ________ than surrounding air

A

warmer

63
Q

Rate of temp change in atmosphere with height

A

Environment Lapse Rate (ELR)

64
Q

Characteristics of Environmental Lapse Rate (ELR)

A
  • Air surrounding parcel
  • Has to be given to you
65
Q

What are the 3 types of stability?

A
  • Absolute Stability
  • Absolute Instability
  • Conditional Instability
66
Q

Lifting parcel of air is colder and heavier than surrounding air

A

Absolute Stability

67
Q

Absolute stability resists _______ motion

A

vertical

68
Q

In absolute stability, ELR _____ than WAR or DAR

A

less

69
Q

In absolute stability, if parcel is forced to rise, clouds will be…

A

thin and widespread

70
Q

There are _____ skies in absolute stability

A

clear

71
Q

Stability enhanced by…

A
  • Radiational cooling at night
  • Cooling of air mass traveling over a cold surface
  • Sinking of air
72
Q

Rising air parcels are warmer and less dense than surrounding air

A

Absolute Instability

73
Q

In absolute instability, ELR _______ than DAR or WAR

A

greater

74
Q

When does absolute instability occur?

A

on warm, humid summer days when solar heating is intense

75
Q

Absolute instability brings…

A

pop-up thunderstorms

76
Q

Instability enhanced by…

A
  • Warming lower atmosphere during day
  • Heating cold air mass as it passes over a warm surface
  • Upward movement of air
77
Q

In conditional instability, ELR is ______ WAR and DAR

A

between

78
Q

Altitude at which air rises because of its own buoyancy

A

Level of free convection (LFC)

79
Q

LFC is a part of…

A

conditional instability

80
Q

In conditional instability, stability (unsaturated) occurs _____ cloud

A

below

81
Q

In conditional instability, unstable (saturated) occurs _____ cloud base

A

above

82
Q

Conditional instability brings ________

A

thunderstorms

83
Q

In conditional instability, thunderstorms seldom extend into stratosphere = _______

A

stable

84
Q

In conditional instability thunderstorms spread ________ forming an _____ top

A

horizontally; anvil

Weather and Climate (11 decks)

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