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253 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What do clouds, fog, and dew have in common?
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must form from saturated or nearlysaturated air, must have a surface upon which the water vapor can condense
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microscopic particles necessary as matter (a surface) on which water vapor condenses to form moisture droplets
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Cloud Condensation Nuclei
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very absorbent condensation nuclei, usually of sulfate and nitrate crystals
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hygroscopic nuclei
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how does a cloud form?
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a parcel of moist air reaches the point of saturation where the water vapor is changed to liquid water droplets; cool air temp to the dew point or add more water vapor
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What is the most common method to form clouds?
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cool air temp to dew pt
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What are 2 criteria for classifying clouds?
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altitude and shape
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What do 'low' clouds primarily consist of ?
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liquid water
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What are some examples of 'low' clouds?
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stratus, stratocumulus, nimbostratus
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What do 'middle' clouds consist of?
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liquid water and ice crystals
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What are some examples of 'middle' clouds?
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altostratus, altocumulus
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What do 'high' clouds consist of ?
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ice crystals
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What are some examples of 'high' clouds?
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cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus
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What are 'vertically developed thru the troposphere' clouds made of ?
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water at lower levels and ice crystals at higher ones
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What are some examples of vertically developed thru the troposphere clouds?
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cumulus, cumulonimbus
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horizontally developed and layered clouds
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flat/stratiform
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vertically developed clouds
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puffy/cumuliform
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high altitude clouds made of ice crystals
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wispy/cirroform
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layered clouds, horizontally developed and usually at a low altitude
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stratus
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bright and puffy clouds like cotton balls; vertically developed
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Cumulus
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cloud like a curl of hair
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cirrus
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What clouds are found the highest up in the atmosphere?
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Cirrus
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What are cirrus clouds made of
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ice crystals
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What means stormy or rainy?
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nimbus
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thunderstorms
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cumulonimbus
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stratus clouds which are producing rain/snow
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nimbostratus
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a cloud in contact with the ground
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fog
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What is the lowest possible RH for fog to occur?
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80%
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fog produced over land when radiational cooling decreases air temp to the dew point temp
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Radiation fog
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valley fog
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radiation fog
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fog that occurs when warm, moist air moves over a colder surface and the air cools to its dpt
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advection fog
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horizontal movement of air
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advection
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fog created when warm, moist air flows up along an elevated plain, hill, or mtn
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Upslope fog
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For an upslope fog, how does the air temp reach the dew pt.?
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adiabatic cooling as it rises
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Fog created when the air reaches saturation primarily by adding water vapor and not lowering the air temp
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Evaporation fog
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For evaporation fog, how does the vapor get into the air?
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it evaporates into the parcel of air
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Fog that forms when cold air moves over warm water
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Steam fog
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How is steam fog created?
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the warmer water evaporates into the unsaturated colder air causing saturation, condensation, and fog formation
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Fog that forms as warm raindrops evaporate in a cool air mass as they fall
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frontal fog
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Fog associated with dreary and drizzly days
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frontal fog
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Water that has condensed onto objects near the ground when their temps have fallen to the dew pt of the surface air
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Dew
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dew which has formed and then frozen
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frozen dew
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How is frozen dew formed?
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condensation occurs, the temp continues to drop and then the dew freezes
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covering of ice produced by deposition when the dew pt temp is below freezing; water vapor converts directly to the solid state
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frost
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What does coalesce mean?
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join together
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How is rain formed?
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water vapor condenses into liquid water droplets forming clouds. These droplets coalesce and become heavy enough to be pulled down by gravity
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What process does rain go through?
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water vapor to liquid water (clouds) to precip
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How is snow formed?
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water vapor condenses into liquid water droplets forming clouds but within the clouds, water vapor changes to ice crystals by deposition
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What is the process for snow?
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water vapor to ice crystals (cloud) to precip
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ice crystal process
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bergeron process
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What is the primary process for forming rain in the middle and high latitudes?
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Bergeron Process
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What is the only process to form snow?
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Bergeron Process
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What are the requirements for the Bergeron Process?
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freezing nuclei, temp below-10C, supersaturated conditions,
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What is the primary process in tropics for raindrop formation and in mid-latitudes during the summer?
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Collision-Coalescence Process
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What do you need for Collision-Coalescence Process?
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large cloud droplets from large condensation nuclei or hygroscopic nuclei
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What do you need for Collision-Coalescence Process?
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large cloud droplets from large condensation nuclei or hygroscopic nuclei
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What is the max size of a raindrop?
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5 mm; or pulled apart by friction or gravity
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Which of the two precip processes is used to form rain?
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collision coalescence process and bergeron process (frozen in cloud melts on the way down)
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frozen raindrop
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sleet
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liquid that freezes on contact with solid objects/surfaces
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freezing rain
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hard, rounded pellets or lumps of ice only produced in thunderstorms
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hail
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how is hail formed?
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a series of updrafts and downdrafts within a thunderstorm move the hail stone up and down within the clouds causing it to grow
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areas of uplift (ITCZ) and subsidence (STH) influence precipitation patterns
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pressure systems
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What things can affect weather patterns?
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Pressure systems, winds (dont blow in straight paths), seasonality (pressure belts and winds shift from season to season), landmasses and oceans
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What things can affect weather patterns?
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Pressure systems, winds (dont blow in straight paths), seasonality (pressure belts and winds shift from season to season), landmasses and oceans
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What are some exceptions to the Idealized pattern which give us a truer picture of precipitation patterns?
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STH, rainshadow deserts, monsoon
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What does STH stand for?
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sub-tropical high pressure cell
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What happens on the east side of the STH?
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upwelling of cold ocean current leads to stable dry conditions
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What happens on the east side of the STH?
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upwelling of cold ocean current leads to stable dry conditions
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What happens on the west side of the STH?
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convergence and warm ocean currents lead to greater instability and wet conditions
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an annual cycle of dryness and wetness with seasonally shifting winds produced by changing atmospheric pressure systems
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Monsoon
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an immense body of air with relatively homogeneous physical properties at a given altitude
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air mass
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What does the first letter of the classification name of an air mass stand for?
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surface over which it develops and thus the level of humidity
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c
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continental (over landmass); dry
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m
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maritime (ocean) humid
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What does the second letter in the classification of an air mass stand for?
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latitude or source region of origin and thus temp.
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A
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arctic; bitterly cold
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P
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polar; very cold
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T
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Tropical
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E
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Equitorial
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area in which air mass originates
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source region
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Arctic basin and Greenland; bitterly cold and dry; stable
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Continental Arctic cA
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Interior Canada and Alaska; cold dry stable
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Continental Polar cP
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northern interior Mexical and sw U.S. hot and dry; usually unstable
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Continental Tropical cT
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north Pacific and northern Atlantic; cool and humid; usually unstable in winter and stable in summer
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Maritime Polar mP
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Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and west central atlantic; warm and humid; usually unstable in east and stable in west
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Maritime Tropical mT
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a boundary separation air masses of different densities
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front
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what is the difference between air masses at a front?
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one is usually warmer and more moist
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frontal zone separating air masses of polar origin and of tropical origin
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polar front
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What develop in conjunction or along the polar front?
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wave cyclones
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What are the primary structure of a mid-latitude wave cyclone?
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low pressure cells and fronts
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boundary at the forward edge of an advancing cold air mass that is displacing warmer air
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cold front
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boundary at the forward edge of an advancing cold air mass that is displacing warmer air
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cold front
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What clouds are associated with cold fronts?
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cumulus and cumulonimbus
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With what front comes more violent weather?
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cold
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Boundary at the forward edge of an advancing warm air mass that is displacing cooler air
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warm front
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What clouds are associated with a warm front?
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stratus
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when air movement is almost parallel to the boundary and the surface position of the front doesn't move
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stationary front
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a front formed when a cold front catches and over takes a warm front
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Occluded front
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What front forces the warmer air off the ground?
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Occluded front
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Low pressure cell that forms and moves along a front
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Mid-Latitude Wave Cyclone
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Which way does a mid-lat wave cyclone spin in the NH?
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counter clockwise
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? 2 air masses are set up along a front and move parallel to it
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1
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? a wave forms and warm air starts to move poleward while cold air moves equatorward
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2
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? cyclonic (CCW) circulation develops with general convergence at the surface and uplifting; warm air overrides the cold air (frontal wedging)
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3
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? cyclonic (CCW) circulation develops with general convergence at the surface and uplifting; warm air overrides the cold air (frontal wedging)
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3
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? cold and warm front established
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3
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? cold front moving faster than the warm front and begins to overtake it
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4
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? cold front moving faster than the warm front and begins to overtake it
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4
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? occlusion begins
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4
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? full development of occluded front
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5
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? full development of occluded front
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5
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? full development of occluded front
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5
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? maximum intensity of the wave cyclone
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5
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? steep pressure gradient and strong winds
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5
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What stage of wave cyclone life cycle? pressure gradient weakens, energy exhausted, system dissipates
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6
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the warm sector?
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primarily southwesterly to southerly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the cool sector?
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southeasterly to easterly and then northeasterly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the cool sector?
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southeasterly to easterly and then northeasterly
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Which way are the winds of a wave cyclone in the cold sector?
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northerly to northwesterly to westerly
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What is the weather like in warm sector of m-lwc?
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humid, clear skies, warm
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What is the weather like in cool sector of m-lwc?
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stratus clouds, light precip ahead of warm front, cool, clouds thinner further from the front
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what is the weather like in cold sector of m-lwc?
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dry, intense precip (tstorms)/ cold
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How long does it take for a wave cyclone to form?
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3-10 days
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What push wave cyclones
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jet stream from west to east along storm tracks (geostrophic winds)
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What cloud is a thunderstorm?
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cumulonimbus
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What does a thunderstorm require?
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warm, moist air (releases latent heat energy when lifted and condensation occurs; causes updrafts); high surface temps
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initial build up of cumulus clouds fueled by updrafts
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cumulus stage
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What are stages of formation of a thunderstorm?
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cumulus, mature, dissipating
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what initiates downdrafts?
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rainfall
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the influx of cool dry surrounding air
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entrainment
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What stage are downdrafts?
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mature
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What dominates in dissipating stage?
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downdrafts
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State with highest amount of thunderstorms?
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Florida
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region w/ highest number of t storms?
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great plains
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Which is on top of lightening, positive or negative charge?
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positive
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a clouds way of trying to equalize
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lightening
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electrons from cloud to ground
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invisible step leader
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illuminated path of electrons
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return stroke
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air heated quickly and explosively expands
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thunder
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liner or straight line winds produced by a thunderstorm
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derechos
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how fast are derechos?
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58 + mph
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What are derechos the result of ?
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downbursts/downdrafts
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rotating column of air
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vortex
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What is a tornado a response to?
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extremely low pressure
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how fast are winds in a tornado?
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300+ mph
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Where do tornadoes form?
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behind hail, sw sec. of t storm
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Requirements of tornado
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t storm associated with cold front or squall line; air masses w/ strong temp gradient; moist instable air; upper level support/jet stream
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Read New Report 8.2
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read
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intense tropical cyclonic storm
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hurricane
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hurricane in western pacific ocean
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typhoon
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hurricane in indian ocean
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cyclone
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Where do hurricanes begin?
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tropical waters
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what oceans are hurricanes found in?
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atlantic, pacific, and indian but rarely in southern atlantic
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characteristics of hurricane?
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warm core low pressure; warm ocean waters; strong press. gradient to generate strong winds; lasts 8-10 days
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Requirements for hurricane
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warm moist air; water temp>81F; uplift by easterly wave; between 5 and 20 latitude for coriolis force
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center of low press. calm winds in hurricane
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eye
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area of strongest pressure gradient and thus most intense winds in hurricane
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eye wall or collar clouds
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primairly stratus clouds with moderate rain in hurricane; largest part
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spiral rain bands
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the initial mass of thunderstorms with weak circulation before hurricane; EASTERLY WAVE
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tropical disturbance
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stronger cyclonic circulation before hurricane; sustained winds near the center of the system between 25 and 37 mph
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tropical depression; given a number
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well developed cyclonic circulation with the beginnings of an eye wall and rain bands; winds between 2-74 mph at eye wall
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tropical storm; given name
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What are the speed of hurricane winds within eye wall?
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74+ mph
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Where are the most sebere storm surges?
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right site b/c winds blowing onshore
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hurricane watch
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twenty four to thirty six hours
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hurricane warning
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less than twenty four hours
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What controls climate?
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latitude, land/water differences, geographic position and prevailing winds, mountains and highlands, ocean currents, global pressure and wind patterns
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What is the Koppen classification scheme based on?
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patterns of vegitation
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a series of letters for temp, precip, values, and seasonal changes
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koppen classification scheme
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Koppen classification scheme: first letters that are temp based
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A,C,D,E
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Koppen classification scheme: First letter precip based
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B
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for first letters A,C,D: what do f,m,w,and s stand for?
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f=no distinct dry or wet season, m=monsoon, s=dry summer, w=dry winter
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Koppen classification scheme: for first letter B, what do s and w stand for?
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S=semi arid; w= arid
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Koppen classification scheme: for first letter E, what do T and F stand for?
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T=tundra, F=ice cap
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a graphical representation of a location's average monthly temp and precip for each month of the year
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climograph
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climate diagram
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climograph
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Af
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tropical rainforest
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Af
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tropical rainforest
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Aw
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tropical savanna or tropical wet and dry
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Am
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tropical monsoon
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Where is Af (tropical rainforest)?
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centered on the equator, Hawaii
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What mechanisms create Af (tropical rainforest)?
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ITCZ present all year; extensive heating all year
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Aw
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Tropical Savanna (tropical wet and dry)
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What is the location of Aw (Tropical Savanna)?
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southern tip of Florida
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What are the characteristics of Aw (tropical savanna)
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distinct winter dry season and summer wet season
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What mechanism for Aw (tropical savanna)
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shifting of the ITCZ north and south
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Am
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tropical monsoon
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Where is Am (tropical monsoon)
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India, Bangladesh, SE Asia
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What are the characteristics of Am (tropical monsoon)?
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seasonal reversal in direction of winds; very wet summers, dry winters
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What mechanism for Am (tropical monsoon)?
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wind shifts set up by changing pressure patterns; shift in location of ITCZ
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Humid Mid latitude with mild winters
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C-climates
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Cw
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Subtropical monsoon
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Where is Cw (subtropical monsoon)
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NE India
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What are some characteristics of Cw (Subtropical Monsoon)
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distinct winter dry season, but cooler temps than Am climate
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What mechanism for Cw (subtropical monsoon)
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shifting ITCZ in summer; STH influence in winter
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Cfa
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Humid Subtropical
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Where is Cfa (humid subtropical)
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U.S. Gulf Coast thru SE U.S. up to Washington, D.C.
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What are some characteristics of Cfa (humid subtropical)
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winter precip primarily from mid-latitude wave cyclones, summer precip from wave cyclones and more so from convective thunderstorms/ showers
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What mechanism fo Cfa (humid subtropical)
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dominated by mT and cP air masses, unstable air associated with western side of STH in summer
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Cfb, Cfc
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Marine West Coast
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Where are Cfb and Cfc?
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northern California to alaskan panhandle
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What are characteristics of Cfb and Cfc (marine west coast)
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mild winters with cool to warm summers
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What mechanism for Marine West Coast?
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affected by nearness to oceans and mP air masses
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Csa, Csb
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Mediterranean
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Where is Csa and Csb?
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central to southern California
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what are the characteristics of Csa, Csb (Mediterranean)
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dry summers and wet winters
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What mechanisms from Csa, Csb (Mediterranean)
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dominated by stable eastern side of STH cells in summer
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Humid continental and subarctic climates
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D
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Are there any D climates in southern hemi.
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no
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Characteristics of D
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far northern latitudess-relatively low amounts of solar radiation and thus little energy
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distance from ocean
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contintntallity
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Where are subarctic climates?
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western alaska across canada to newfoundland
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Characteristics of subarctic
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greatest annual temp ranges
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Mechanisms of subarctic
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high latitudes= little solar radiation=low temps
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Polar climates
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E
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little solar radiation so very low temps but large temp variation
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E climates
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ET
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Tundra
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EF
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Ice Cap
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areas of high elevation with generally cooler and wetter conditions
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highland
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What mechanisms for Highland
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high elevation; diverse, rugged topography
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Where are ice caps?
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confined to ice caps of greenland and antarctica
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What are the characteristics of Ice Cap
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avg. temp of warmest month < 0 deg
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What mechanisms for Ice Cap
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high latitudes=low solar radiation input
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What are some characteristics of Tundr?
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avg. temp warmest month > 0 eeg< 10 deg
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What mechanism for Tundra?
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dominance by stable air and Polar High pressure cell
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areas where the potential evap. > Precip
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B climate
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the amount of moisture that would evaporate from a given area if it were available
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potential evapotranspiration
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Only climate based on precip
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B
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< 10 in of precip
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desert
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BWh and BSh
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tropical desert and tropical steppe
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Where is Tropical desert?
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north mexico and sw U.S.
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Characteristic of Tropical Steppe?
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low precip
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Mechanism for Tropical Desert and Tropical Steppe
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dominated by STH cells all year
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BWk and BSk
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mid latitude desert and steppe
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Where is mid latitude desert
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Great Basin
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Where is mid latitude steppe?
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great plains
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What are characteristics of mid lat. deserts and steppe?
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hot summers but cool to cold winters
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Mechanism for mid latitude desert and steppe
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rainshadow effect; remoteness from water sources (continentallity)
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