Week 09: Winter/Summer Weather

Question 1

What are snow flurries?

Answer 1

Light snow falling for short amounts of time with only a light dusting or no accumulation

(Slide 04)

Question 2

What are Snow Showers?

Answer 2

Snowfalls at varying intensities for brief periods with some accumulation possible

(Slide 04)

Question 3

What are snow squalls?

Answer 3

Brief but intense snow showers that have strong winds, gusty wind, with significant accumulation possible

(Slide 04)

Question 4

What is blowing snow?

Answer 4

Wind driven snow

(Slide 04)

Question 5

What is sleet?

Answer 5

Rain that freezes into ice pellets before reaching the ground

(Slide 04)

Question 6

Snow covers about how much of the land of the northern hemisphere each year?

Answer 6

Half

(Slide 05)

Question 7

True or False?

Snow storms are an important part of the energy and water balances in plant and animal ecology and in human recreation.

Answer 7

TRUE

(Slide 05)

Question 8

True or False?

A small accumulation of snow over a long period of time causes issues?

Answer 8

FALSE - LARGE accumulation in a SHORT amount of time causes issues

(Slide 05)

Question 9

Where do the deepest snowfalls occur?

Answer 9

Moist, mountainous regions of the middle and high latitudes.

(Slide 05)

Question 10

What are the three components of a snowstorm?

Answer 10

1. Cold Aire
2. Moisture
3. Lifting Mechanism

(Slide 06)

Question 11

What is Environment Canada’s Criteria for a Blizzard? (4)

Answer 11

1. Wind speed of 40km/h or greater
2. Temperature of less than 0°C (More often below -10°C) or wind chill of -25°C or lower.
3. Visibility of less than 1 kilometer
4. Duration of these conditions for at least 3-6 hours.

(Slide 12)

Question 12

Blizzards can happen on all continents - anywhere from the poles to the high-altitude locations of the tropics but they are most common in which three areas?

Answer 12

North America, Central Asia, and Antarctica.

(Slide 13)

Question 13

Which three provinces produce about 5 blizzards a year?

Answer 13

Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

(Slide 13)

Question 14

Where are blizzards also common in Canada?

Answer 14

East Coast

(Slide 13)

Question 15

What defines extreme summer weather and a heat wave? (2)

Answer 15

1. When abnormally warm conditions - usually temperatures at or above 30ºC - persist for a prolonged period
2. Typically three or more successive days, it’s called a heat wave.

(Slide 32)

Question 16

What are three ways to mitigate extreme summer weather?

Answer 16

1. Increased tree planting (reduce urban heat island effect)
2. Green roofs
3. Public Awareness and education - Risk and what to do.