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68 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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what are the major types of air masses in NA and how are they classified?
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- classified by temperature and humidity
- 4 types: 1) maritime tropical - 2) continental tropical 3) maritime polar 4) continental polar |
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AIR MASSES
- what are they? - what pushes them? |
-huge bodies of air with the same 1) temperature 2) humidity 3) air pressure
- they are pushed by jet streams and prevailing westerlies |
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POLAR
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cold air masses formed in lattitudes North of 50 degree N latitude line and South of 50degree S latitude line - have high air pressure
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TROPICAL
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warm air masses that form over tropics and have low air pressure
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MARITIME
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air masses that form over oceans (tend to be humid)
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CONTINENTAL
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air masses that form over land - tend to be dryer
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MARITIME TROPICAL AIR MASSES
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-form in the oceans and gulf
- in East (Atl Ocean), they move into SE US and then N and NE US influencing the central and Eastern US - in West, they form in Pac Ocean and affect the West US - they bring rain and snow to East and West US (Calif.). they bring warm and humid air |
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MARITIME POLAR AIR MASSES
- where do they form? - what is their effect? |
-cool humid air masses formed over the cold N Pacific and N Atlantic oceans
- affects the W coast more than the East coast - bring fog rain to W coast |
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CONTINENTAL TROPICAL AIR MASSES
- where do they form? - what is their effect? |
-hot dry air masses formed over in SW an N Mexico
- usually formed in the summer -affect mid Southern US/Mexio |
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CONTINENTAL POLAR AIR MASSES
where do they form? - what is their effect? |
-form over Central and Northern Canada, Alaska - near the artic circle
- bring very cold dry weather to Central and Eastern US - can sometimes move South and collide with maritime tropical air masses moving North - affect |
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What are the main type of fronts?
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1) cold fronts
2) warm fronts 3) stationary fronts 4) occluded fronts |
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what type of weather is associated with Cyclones and Anticyclones?
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anticyclones - dry and clear weather
cyclones - clouds, wind and precipitation |
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What moves air masses in the US?
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prevailing westerlies and jet streams
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FRONTS
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The boundary when two different air masses colide.
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prevalining westerlies
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major wind belts in the midd latitudes pushing air from west to east.
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jet streams
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bands of strong wind 10 km. above the earths surface.
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What are the 4 different fronts?
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cold fronts, warm fronts, stationary fronts, and occluded
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Cold fronts
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when cold air mass slides under a warm air mass and pushes it upward. The warm air mass contains water vapor, and when it rises it forms cloud and forces percipitation. After that the cold air mass stays and that area becomes cold.
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Warm Fronts
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when warm air masses push a cold air mass out of the way to make that area warm.
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Stationary fronts
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when both warm and cold air masses colide with each other and the are at a facoff. Then clouds form and percipitation comes down.
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Occluded front
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When warm air mass is stuck between a cold air mass and a cool air mass. The warm air mass is pushed up and the cold and cool air masses mix.
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OCCLUDED
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when a warm air mass is cut off.
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CYCLONES
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a swirl of low pressure air. THe warm air in the cyclon flows out. And the cold air flows in.
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ANTICYCLONES
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High pressure cyclones.
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STORM
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a violence disturbance in the atmosphere.
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THUNDERSTORM
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a small storm often accompanied by heavy percipitation and frequent thunder.
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LIGHTNING
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a sudden spark or electrical discharge as charges jump between parts of a cloud between nearby clouds.
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Thunderstorm Damage
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can floode low-lying areas. Lightning causes damage also.
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How does flooding occur?
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When rain falls in a stream or river and it over flows.
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WHat measures can you take to ensure saftey in a storm?
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Do not touch anything that can cunduct electricity. Avoid places where lightning can occur.
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How do Thunderstorm form?
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They are formed in Cumulonimbus clouds also known as tthunder heads.
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TORNADO
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a rapidly whirling funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down from a storm cloud to touch earths surface.
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How do tornadoes form?
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when a low pressure air mass and a high pressure air mass meet.
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Where do tornadoes occur most?
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in the great plains of the U.S. - middle belt of US
- TX, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Iowa |
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What damage can a tornado occur?
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it will suck in many thing and throw them many miles away. Thing such as cars, trailers, shed, ect.
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Where can you go to montain saftey in a tornado?
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You can go to a basement in a well built building.
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HURRICANE
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a tropical cyclone that has winds up to 119 kilometers fast.
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How do hurricans form?
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When a storm occurs in the warm ocean with low pressure.Or it can occur with tropical disturbance.
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What damage do hurricanes cause?
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large waves and severe flooding.
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STORM SURGE
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a dome of water that sweps across the coast where the hurricane lands.
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How do you provide saftey if a hurricane occurs?
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Evacute your area.
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Evacuate
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move away temporarily.
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How do weather forecasters redict weather?
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they use maps, charts, and computer.
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METEOROLOGIST
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scientists who study the causes of weather and try to predict it.
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How ahs technology help predict weather forcasts?
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using computers has helped predict weather.
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What are weather ballons?
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they carry instruments in stratosphere and the troposhpere that measure temperature, air pressure, and humidity.
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What are weather satellites?
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Cameras in the atmosphere that can take pictures of clouds, storms, and snow cover.
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What are Computer forecasts?
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computers that cancalculate a preditction of the weather.
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What are weather Service Maps?
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weather on a map. The weather comes from a local weather station.
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ISOBARS
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lines joining places on the map that have the same air pressure.
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ISOTHERMS
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likes joining places that have the same temperature.
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What are newspaper weather Maps?
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Maps in newspaper about the weather.
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What can be learned from the information on weather maps?
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symbols on weather maps show fronts, areas of high and low pressure, types of percipitation, and temperatures.
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What are the main kinds of storms?
How do they form? |
1) thunderstorms
2) tornadoes 3) hurricanes 4) winter storms |
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What measures can you take to ensure safety in a storm?
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wait
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How do weather forecasters predict weather?
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wait
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how has technology helped us improve weather forecasts?
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wait
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what can be learned by information on weather maps?
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wait
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what is the difference between a cyclone and an anticyclone?
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the direction of the winds
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How does lake effect snow form?
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cold, dry air blows over large lakes and then over land
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What is the most dangerous part of a snowstorm?
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the high winds
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what does the following represent on a weather map?
1) a line with half circle 2) a line with triangles 3) a line with both triangles and circles 4)small lines at the end of a shaft? 5) partially shaded circles? |
1)warm front
2) cold front 3) stationary front 4)wind speed 5) cloud coverage |
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What has helped collect weather data over the past few decades?
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satellites, ballons and technology
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What part of the hurricane has the calmest winds?
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the eye
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what do meteorologists use radars for?
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to follow the path of a storm or a hurricane
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what is a storm?
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a violent disturbance in the atmosphere
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winter storms
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snow that falls in the coldest places in the US when it reaches the ground as snow
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what is lake effect snow?
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happens as cold dry air (from Canada) moves accross the warmer water of the great lakes causing lake effect snow
- lots of snow in Buffalo and Rochester |
