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Weather and Climate > Weather and Climate: Ch. 5 > Flashcards

Weather and Climate: Ch. 5 Flashcards

1
Q

Billions of minute water droplets and/or ice crystals suspended above surface

A

Clouds

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2
Q

How does air reach saturation?

A
  • Cooling air to dew point temp (air temp = DPT)
  • Cool, unsaturated air passes over a warm body of water
  • Surface to condense on
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3
Q

Minute particles in atmosphere:

A
  • Volcanic eruptions
  • Wind erosion of soil
  • Forest fires
  • Ocean spray
  • Pollution
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4
Q

Hygroscopic Nuclei:

A
  • Water Seeking (ex: sea salt)
  • Condensation at RH < 100%
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5
Q

Who came up with the cloud classification system?

A

Luke Howard

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6
Q

Stratus (“layer”) =

A

sheetlike cloud

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7
Q

Cumulus (“heap”) =

A

puffy cloud

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8
Q

Cirrus (“curl of hair”) =

A

wispy cloud

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9
Q

Nimbus (“violent rain”) =

A

rain cloud

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10
Q

What are the 2 criteria for classification of clouds?

A

Height and Form

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11
Q

Types of cloud height:

A
  • low
  • mid
  • high
  • vertical
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12
Q

Types of cloud form:

A
  • shape
  • density
  • color
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13
Q

Characteristics of high clouds

A
  • Bases above 20,000’
  • Made of ice crystals, thin
  • Usually white
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14
Q

Thin, wispy, feathery clouds blown by high winds into long streams, mares’ tales of have a hook

A

Cirrus (Ci)

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15
Q

Characteristics of Cirrocumulus (Cc)

A
  • Small, white, rounded patches
  • Occur individually or in long rows
  • Rippel appearance
  • “Makerel sky” pattern
  • Chicken poppers
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16
Q

Transparent, thin, sheetlike cloud

A

Cirrostratus (Cs)

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17
Q

Sun and moon clearly shine through ___________ clouds

A

Cirrostratus (Cs)

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18
Q

Ice crystals in cirrostratus clouds often produce a _____

A

halo

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19
Q

Ring of light that encircles sun or moon

A

Halo

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20
Q

What is the base of a middle cloud

A

6,500’ and 20,000’

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21
Q

What are middle clouds made of?

A

Ice crystals and water droplets

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22
Q

Large patches of rounded masses or rolls

A

Altocumulus (Ac)

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23
Q

Usually one part of cloud is darker than the other

A

Altocumulus (Ac)

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24
Q

If altocumulus clouds appear early on a warm, humid summer morning, there is a good chance of a…

A

late afternoon (severe) thunderstorm

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25
Q

What cloud is chicken nuggets

A

Altocumulus (Ac)

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26
Q

Uniform grayish cloud that cover all or large portions of sky

A

Altostratus (As)

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27
Q

Altostratus clouds are thick so the sun is only ______ visible, referred to as “Watery sun”

A

dimly

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28
Q

When do altostratus clouds form

A

often ahead of storms

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29
Q

What kind of precipitation comes from altostratus clouds

A

widespread and continuous precipitation

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30
Q

What is the base of low clouds?

A

Below 6500’

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31
Q

Low, lumpy cloud layer that appears in groups or rounded masses

A

Stratocumulus (Sc)

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32
Q

Blue sky visible between individual clouds

A

Stratocumulus (Sc)

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33
Q

What cloud is like chicken strips?

A

Stratocumulus (Sc)

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34
Q

Uniform, white to light gray cloud that blankets entire sky

A

Stratus (St)

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35
Q

Stratus clouds may produce ________

36
Q

Dark gray, “wet” looking cloud layer associated with rain or snow

A

Nimbostratus (Ns)

37
Q

In nimbostratus clouds precipitation tends to be …

A

light to moderate over long duration

38
Q

Clouds have bases at low heights and extend into mid and high altitudes

A

Vertical Development

39
Q

What are the high clouds?

A
  • Cirrus (Ci)
  • Cirrocumulus (Cc)
  • Cirrostratus (Cs)
40
Q

What are the middle clouds?

A
  • Altocumulus (Ac)
  • Altostratus (As)
41
Q

What are the low clouds?

A
  • Stratocumulus (Sc)
  • Stratus (St)
  • Nimbostratus (Ns)
42
Q

What are the vertical Development clouds?

A
  • Cumulus (Cu)
  • Cumulus Fractus
  • Cumulus Congestus (Tcu)
  • Cumulonimbus (Cb)
43
Q

What are the unusual clouds?

A
  • Lenticular
  • Pileus
  • Mammatus
  • Fumulus
  • Contrails
  • Asperatus
44
Q

Relatively small puffy clouds that resemble balls of cotton dotting the sky

A

Cumulus (Cu)

45
Q

Cumulus clouds have _____ outline with a ______ base

A

sharp; flat

46
Q

Cumulus clouds are associated with ____ weather

47
Q

Cumulus clouds on a fair day:

A
  • Begin forming mid to late morning
  • Most extensive mid-afternoon
  • Dissipate (vaporize) at sunset
48
Q

Small cloud fragments broken off from a larger cloud, torn into pieces of cotton candy

A

Cumulus Fractus

49
Q

Cumulus Fractus clouds often forming and dissipating ________

50
Q

Cumulus cloud takes on a cauliflower appearance

A

Cumulus Congestus (Tcu)

51
Q

Upper portion of Cumulus Congestus clouds are ________ defined

52
Q

Cumulonimbus (Cb) is a _________ cloud

A

thunderstorm

53
Q

What cloud has a dark, low base to high top (>40,000’)

A

Cumulonimbus (Cb)

54
Q

Cumulonimbus clouds produce …

A

heavy precipitation, hail, lightning, thunder, tornadoes

55
Q

A cumulonimbus cloud releases tremendous amounts of ______

56
Q

What is the upper part (anvil) of a cumulonimbus cloud mostly composed of?

A

ice crystals and fibrous

57
Q

What does the lower portion of a cumulonimbus cloud consist of?

A

water droplets

58
Q

Stationary lens-shaped clouds “UFO cloud”

A

Lenticular clouds

59
Q

Where are Lenticular clouds common

A

mountain areas

60
Q

Look like pouches hanging from underside of a cloud, resembles a cow’s udder

A

Mammatus clouds

61
Q

man-made cloud, form over power plants

62
Q

man-made cloud, Condensation trails that form from aircraft exhaust

63
Q

Appears as a rolling, very turbulent, choppy wave cloud

64
Q

Cloud in contact with ground

65
Q

Fog restricts visibility to ___ miles or less

66
Q

How does fog form?

A
  • Cooling (air cooled below dew point (saturation point))
  • By evaporation and mixing
67
Q

Forms on clear night with high RH and light winds

A

Radiation (ground) fog

68
Q

Characteristics of Radiation (ground) fog

A
  • high pressure
  • thickest in low-lying areas
  • dissipates 1-3 hours after sunrise
69
Q

Warm air mass passes over a cold surface and is chilled

A

Advection Fog

70
Q

Characteristics of Advection Fog

A
  • persist for long periods of time
  • snow-covered ground
  • cold surface of lake or ocean (Pacific Coast)
71
Q

Forms on mountain slopes due to upslope movement of humid air

A

Upslope Fog

72
Q

When does Steam Fog develop

A

on a cold day

73
Q

Cold and dry air flows over a warm body of water

74
Q

Appears as rising streamers that resemble steam

75
Q

Steam Fog may form above a ___ surface on a sunny day

76
Q

What is an example of steam fog

A

your breath in winter

77
Q

Warm, humid air is forced to rise over cooler, dryer air

A

Frontal fog

78
Q

Precipitation fog

A

Frontal fog

79
Q

Where does frontal fog form

A

along frontal boundaries

80
Q

Tiny droplets of water

81
Q

Water vapor condenses on a cold surface

82
Q

Dew freezes after forming

A

White (frozen) dew

83
Q

Dew forms on a _____, _____ night (high pressure)

A

clear, calm

84
Q

When does frost form?

A

when dew point temp is below 32℉ and high pressure

85
Q

Cold occurs over a widespread area for a long time

A

Frost/Freeze Hazard

86
Q

Frost Advisory =

87
Q

Hard Freeze Warning

Weather and Climate (11 decks)

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