Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Weather > Weather module 1 continued > Flashcards

Weather module 1 continued Flashcards

1
Q

Define wind

A

The horizontal movement of the air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What initiates the movement of air

A

The pressure difference in the horizontal causes air to move

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Define pressure gradient force

A

The force that starts the movement of air directly from a region of high pressure to a region of lower pressure.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

The effect of the earth’s rotation on wind’s direction is called: and what direction does it deflect it

A

The coriolis effect. to the right

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is Buys-Ballot law?

A

if you stand with your back to the wind in the northern hemisphere the lower pressure will lie to your left.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

when a low or high pressure system passes to the north of your station the winds will:

A

veer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

wind speeds are ________ to the pressure gradient

A

directly proportional

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Define friction force

A

The force which results from the wind interacting with the earth’s surface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Friction ______ wind speed and ______ wind direction. What does it do to the coriolis effect?

A

diminishes and modifies. It counteracts the coriolis effect.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Is the greatest friction over land or sea?

A

land

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

During ascent from sfc to 1000m wind will?

A

increase and veer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

During descent from 1000m to sfc wind will

A

decrease and back

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

During daytime heating, wind will?

During nightime cooling, wind will?

A
  1. Veer and increase

2 back and decrease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Define Gust

A

A relatively rapid increase in wind speed that lasts only briefly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Define Squall

A

Wind speed increases suddenly and maintains a peak speed for several minutes before diminishing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Sea breeze

A

A diurnal coastal breeze that blows onshore from the sea to the land

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Land breeze

A

a diurnal coastal breeze that blows offshore from the land to the sea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Katabatic Winds

A

Winds that flow down ice free slopes at night or flows down ice covered slopes day and night.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

anabatic winds

A

Winds that blow up slopes during the day due to differential daytime heating

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Gusts are caused by what 2 ways?

A
  1. Mechanical turbulence

2. Unequal heating of the earth’s surface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what are the 2 principal causes of squalls?

A
  1. Well developed Thunderstorms

2. fast moving cold fronts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

How are katabatic winds generated?

A

Sides of the valley are cooled by radiation at night and the air will flow down the slope.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How are anabatic winds generated

A

the sides of a valley are heated during the daytime and the air rises. Cooler air from the bottom of the valley rushes up the sides to replace the rising air.

24
Q

What are the 3 topographical effects on air circulation

A
  1. Barrier effect
  2. Funnel effect
  3. Valley effect
25
Define air mass
A large section of the troposphere that has relatively uniform temperature and moisture in the horizontal
26
How are air masses formed?
An air mass is formed when a large section of air acquires the temperature and moisture characteristics of a vast area of the earth's surface.
27
What 2 terms are used to describe the moisture content of air masses?
1. Continental | 2. Maritime
28
What 3 terms are used to describe the temperature of air masses in NA
1. Arctic 2. Polar 3. Tropical
29
Name the 4 air masses that occur over NA in winter
1. Continental Arctic 2. Maritime Arctic 3. Maritime polar 4. Maritime tropical
30
what are the typical trajectories of the 4 airmasses
1 cA - southward 2 mA - South eastward and eastward 3. mP - Eastward and north eastward 4. mT - northerly
31
describe the stability of each airmass
1. Ca to mT Stable to unstable.
32
with respect to stability, if the air is cooled from below, will it become more or less stable?
More stable
33
What are the 6 factors that may change the temperature of airmasses?
1. Changes in latitude 2. change of season 3. ocean currents 4 movement from over water or over land 5. Diurnal variations 6. topography
34
How would an air mass become destabilized?
1. heating from below | 2 cooling aloft (advection)
35
how would an airmass become stabilized?
1. By cooling from below (radiation cooling) | 2. by heating aloft (advection)
36
state the relationship between moisture content and air mass temperature
Warmer air masses can hold more water vapour than colder ones.
37
what are 3 types of moisture increases and 1 type of moisture decrease in air masses?
1. Movement over water 2. Melting/evaporation of snow 3. movement over regions of dense vegetation 1b. Condensation/precipitation
38
define front
the transition zone between 2 air masses
39
name the 3 frontal systems located over Canada in the winter
1. Continental Arctic 2. Maritime Arctic 3. Maritime Polar
40
Define Frontal surface
The transition zone separating warm and cold air aloft
41
Define Surface front
The transition zone separating warm and cold air touching the earth's surface
42
Define Cold front
A transition zone between warm air and advancing cold air. A cold front is always followed by cold air
43
Define warm front
A transition zone between warm air and retreating cold air.
44
Stationary front
A transition zone between two air masses that are not moving.
45
The severity of the weather caused by a front depends on which factors (5)
1. The slope of the frontal surface 2. The speed of the front 3. Temperature of the lifted air mass 4. Moisture content of the lifted air mass 5. Stability of the lifted air mass
46
With respect to temperature, dew point temperature and pressure, what happens when a cold front or warm front passes
Cold front: Decrease in temperature (maybe a slight increase before the drop), decrease in dew point temperature and pressure rises. Warm front: Increase in temperature, increase in dew point, a general fall in pressure as a warm front approaches.
47
what are the average slopes of warm, cold and stationary fronts
Cold: 1:50 Warm 1:200 Stationary 1:100
48
At a warm front, describe the 3 factors that determine cloud type and precipitation
1. The moisture content of the overrunning air 2. The stability of the overrunning air 3. The degree of overrunning
49
At a cold front, describe the 3 factors that determine cloud type and precipitation
1. The moisture content of the lifted warm air 2. The stability of the lifted warm air 3. The degree of lift a. the slope of the frontal surface b. the speed of the front
50
If warm air is moist and stable, expect the following clouds as the warm front approaches your station
1.CI,CS,AS,NS and continuous precipitiation.
51
If the warm air is moist and unstable, expect the following clouds as the warm front approaches your station
1. CI,CS,AS,NS and embedded CBs.continuous precipitation.
52
As the cold front approaches, in moist and stable air what type of clouds will form when the front approaches rapidly and slowly
slowly: wide spread layer clouds and intermittent or continuous precipitation Rapidly: Narrower band of clouds and continuous or intermittent precipitation
53
Define frontal wave
A wave shaped distortion on a front usually associated with a trough
54
what is frontogenesis and frontolysis?
Frontogenesis is the formation of a front | Frontolysis is the dissipation of a front.
55
What is the area between a warm front and a cold front in a frontal wave called?
Warm sector
56
What are the 3 main factors that determine cloud characteristics?
1. Stability of the air 2. moisture available in the air 3. temperature of the air

Weather (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions