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20 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Contrast weather and climate. |
Weather is the atmospheric conditions of a small area for a short period of time whereas climate is the average atmospheric conditions of a region over a longer period of time. |
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What are the mechanisms that cause air to rise on a regional scale? |
Convective uplift, orographic uplift, frontal wedging, and convergence |
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What factors are used to classify air masses? |
Temperature, height, latitude, humidity. |
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In science, how is a front defined? |
The narrow zone of transition between air masses with temperature differences. If the low temperature air mass recedes, it is labeled as a warm front. If the warm temperature air mass recedes, it is labeled as a cold front. |
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Describe how a thunderstorm develops. |
A warm and cool air mass converges where the cold air mass drops under, making a low pressure system. The cold air forces warm air up into cumulus clouds to make cumulonimbus clouds. A thunderstorm develops when conditions are right (humid) and the clouds precipitate. Severity of storm depends on cloud height. |
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What kind of clouds are associated with thunderstorms? |
Cumulonimbus clouds. |
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Importance of condensation nuclei in cloud formation. |
Condensation nuclei are dust particles floating in the atmosphere that give the water a surface to condensate and remain on. |
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What factor(s) are used to separate layers of the atmosphere? |
Temperature. |
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Explain how a Doppler Radar works. |
The radar sends out microwave signals that are echoed and reflected back based on what they hit. The echo will be strong/weak based on how strong/weak something is. Picks up on precipitation targets and track intensity, location and movement. Continually analyzes lower atmosphere. |
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What are some practical limitations of using Doppler Radar? |
Ground clutter such as skyscapers can mess up the signals. |
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Describe the different paths lightning can take. |
-Cloud to ground -Cloud to cloud -Within a cloud |
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What are wind shears? |
Changes in wind speed and direction. Caused by downbursts that affect a small area (microbursts). Can affect airplanes and their landings. May be mistaken for invisible tornado. |
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Describe how a tornado develops. |
Begins with supercell thunderstorm where an updraft interacts with horizontal winds and causes them to rotate around an axis, forming a mesocyclone. When the mesocyclone narrows and grows towards the ground, wind speed increases. If the mesocyclone touches the ground and picks up dirt/debris, it is called a tornado. |
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Explain why tornadoes are more frequent in the central part of the United States? |
There are no barriers to prevent arctic/polar air masses from the north and maritime/tropical air masses from converging. |
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Explain why tornadoes are more frequent between spring and early summer. |
Temperature differences between tropical and arctic air masses are the greatest. |
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Explain why tornadoes are hard to predict. |
Tornadoes are short-lived and small systems. |
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Describe how a hurricane forms. |
Begins as tropical cyclone with strong winds, large low pressure center, and intense rain over warm tropical/subtropical waters that came from breaking away from low-pressure belt at equator. Tropical depressions are formed when the cyclone's surface winds are sustained at 61 km/h or less. Tropical depressions become tropical storms when surface winds are 117 km/h or less. When min. 1-minute sustained winds are 119 km/h or greater. |
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What is the most severe and life-threatening phenomenon associated with a hurricane? |
Storm surges. They are bulges of water that begin in the low-pressure center that follows a hurricane. Cause nearly 90% of deaths associated with hurricanes. |
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What controls the path of a hurricane? |
Atmospheric conditions. |
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Does the Coriolis Effect play a role in hurricane formation? Explain. |
The Coriolis Effect affects water temperature and rotation, which may cause a hurricane to form faster or rotate a specific direction. |
