Deck 6: Weather Systems

Question 1

The cold front overtakes the warm front during which of the following stages in the development of a wave cyclone?

A)early stage
B)open stage
C)closed stage
D)occluded
E)dissolving stage

Answer 1

D

Question 2

An air mass that forms over a mid-latitude ocean would be designated by which of the following symbols?

A)mP
B)mA
C)cP
D)cA
E)mT

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following weather systems are associated with anticyclonic conditions?

A)cool,wet weather
B)fine rain of lasting duration
C)thick cloud and heavy rain
D)few clouds with no rain
E)high wind speeds with no rain

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Wind speed associated with hurricanes are normally within the range of:

A)20 to 50 kilometers per hour (12 to 30 miles per hour)
B)50 to 100 kilometers per hour (30 to 60 miles per hour)
C)120 to 200 kilometers per hour (75 to 125 miles per hour)
D)200 to 400 kilometers per hour (125 to 250 miles per hour)
E)400 to 550 kilometers per hour (250 to 340 miles per hour)

Question 5

A wave begins to form in a wave cyclone during which of the following stages?

A)early stage
B)open stage
C)closed stage
D)occluded
E)dissolving stage

Question 6

Which of the following is not one of the types of traveling cyclones?

A)arctic wave cyclone
B)tropical cyclone
C)tornado
D)midlatitude wave cyclone
E)arctic ridge

Question 7

The phenomena which leads to the development of tropical storms is:

A)convergent lifting precipitation
B)the inter-tropical convergence zone
C)a polar outbreak
D)a westerly wave
E)an easterly wave

Question 8

Which of the following statements describes the global paths of tropical cyclones.

A)From east to west in the northern hemisphere and from west to east in the southern hemisphere
B)From west to east in the northern hemisphere and from east to west in the southern hemisphere
C)From east to west in both the northern and southern hemispheres
D)From west to east in both the northern and southern hemispheres
E)From east to west in the northern hemisphere and from south to north in the southern hemisphere

Question 9

Which of the following conditions is associated with the eye of a hurricane?

A)ascending air cooling adiabatically
B)descending air cooling adiabatically
C)ascending air warming adiabatically
D)descending air warming adiabatically
E)ascending air that neither warms or cools

Question 10

Wind speed associated with tornadoes may be as high as:

A)50 kilometers per hour (30 miles per hour)
B)100 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour)
C)200 kilometers per hour (125 miles per hour)
D)400 kilometers per hour (250 miles per hour)
E)550 kilometers per hour (340 miles per hour)

Question 11

Cold fronts compared to warm fronts are:

A)slower moving,with more intense rainfall
B)faster moving,with more intense rainfall
C)slower moving,with less intense rainfall
D)faster moving,with less intense rainfall
E)faster moving,with rainfall of long duration

Question 12

Warm air at the center of a wave cyclone is forced off the ground intensifying precipitation during which of the following stages?

A)early stage
B)open stage
C)closed stage
D)occluded
E)dissolving stage

Question 13

Which of the following conditions is most likely to lead to the development of tornadoes?

A)Cool,stable air associated with interior,mountain regions
B)Warm,stable air associated with continental interiors
C)Cold front lifts a warm front leading to turbulence
D)Cold front lifts another cold front leading to alternating patches of stable and unstable air
E)Warm dry front lifts a cool maritime front leading to turbulence

Question 14

What are hurricanes known as in the western Pacific region?

A)hurricane
B)typhoon
C)cyclone
D)depression
E)wave cyclone

Question 15

A hurricane's strongest winds and heaviest rainfall are found in __________.

A)its northeast quarter
B)its southern half
C)its eye wall
D)that portion that remains over land
E)at the centre of the eye

Question 16

Which of the following statements concerning tropical depressions is incorrect?

A)They are weak low pressure troughs.
B)Their formation is associated with easterly waves or equatorial lows.
C)In some cases,they may develop into tropical storms.
D)They have an anticyclonic organization.
E)Air spirals inward at ground surface and then rises.

Question 17

Warm fronts compared to cold fronts are:

A)slower moving,with more intense rainfall
B)faster moving,with more intense rainfall
C)slower moving,with less intense rainfall
D)faster moving,with less intense rainfall
E)faster moving,with rainfall of long duration

Question 18

An air mass that forms over warm oceans from an equatorial region would be designated by which of the following symbols?

A)cP
B)cE
C)mE
D)mA
E)mAA

Question 19

An Arctic air mass differs from a Polar air mass in that:

A)Arctic air masses are colder than Polar air masses
B)Arctic air masses contains less moisture than Polar air masses
C)Arctic air masses originate from continental regions,whereas a Polar air masses originate over oceans
D)Arctic air masses originate over Arctic oceans and nearby land,whereas Polar air masses form over a distinct latitude zone from 50 to 60 degrees latitude
E)Arctic air masses originate over form over the eastern Arctic,whereas Polar air masses form over western Arctic oceans

Question 20

What is the approximate size of a wave cyclone?

A)10 kilometers (about 6 miles)across
B)100 kilometers (about 60 miles)across
C)200 kilometers (about 120 miles)across
D)500 kilometers (about 300 miles)across
E)1000 kilometers (about 600 miles)across

Question 21

Hurricanes in the Atlantic westward via the trade winds and then curve south and southwest.

Question 22

What is the role of the Hadley cell in the transport of heat and moisture toward the poles?

A)The Hadley cell pumps heat from the subtropical zone toward the poles
B)The Hadley cell produces the Rossby wave mechanism that leads to the development of mid-latitude cyclones
C)Rising air at the ITCZ moves poleward and descends at the subtropical high to move heat and moisture poleward
D)Descending air at the ITCZ moves poleward and ascends at the subtropical high to move heat and moisture poleward
E)Sensible heat is acquired in tropical and equatorial regions and is moved northward into the North Atlantic.

Question 23

Most tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic originate in which of the following latitude zones?

A)0 to 10 degrees North and South
B)10 to 20 degrees North
C)15 to 20 degrees South
D)20 to 30 degrees North
E)20 to 30 degrees South

Question 24

A warm front is a front where cold air moves into a region of warm air.

Question 25

Which of the following is not one of the primary factors that contribute to a storm surge?

A)underwater shape of the bay floor
B)low atmospheric pressures
C)high wind speeds
D)high intensity hurricane
E)heavy rain

Question 26

Which of the following air masses are considered to have the warmest and moistest conditions?

A)mE
B)mP
C)cP
D)cE
E)cA

Question 27

Which of the following features does the Simpson-Safir Scale not describe with regard to hurricanes?

A)rainfall amounts
B)cyclone intensity
C)central pressure
D)storm surges
E)mean wind speed

Question 28

Jet streams contribute to the movement of air masses from one region to another.

Question 29

Tornadoes form as part of stratus clouds traveling in advance of a cold front.

Question 30

As a wave cyclone advances into a region which of the following cloud types would be first observe?

A)Cumulonimbus
B)Stratus
C)Cumulus
D)Cirruss
E)Nimbostratus

Question 31

In equatorial regions,slight convergence and uplift can trigger precipitation because:

A)the wind speeds in these regions are usually consistent and rapid
B)the atmosphere contains large amounts of moisture
C)the Coriolis force exerts greater influence on these processes and so enhance convergence and uplift
D)the warmer air temperatures allow clouds to develop more quickly than in cooler regions
E)there are normally many centers of low pressure that enhance the development of clouds and precipitation.

Question 32

Uncharacteristic periods of low temperatures occasionally occur in low latitude regions.These are the result of:

A)easterly wave
B)westerly wave
C)weak equatorial low
D)polar outbreak
E)mid latitude wave cyclones

Question 33

Which cloud types are most associated with hurricanes?

A)Cumulus near the center,with stratus at the outer edges of the storm
B)Cumulonimbus near the center,with cirrus at the outer edges of the storm
C)Stratus near the center,with cirrus at the outer edges of the storm
D)Cumulonimbus near the center,with stratus at the outer edges of the storm
E)Cirrus near the center,with stratus at the outer edges of the storm

Question 34

Weak low pressure troughs in equatorial regions lead to the development of easterly waves.

Question 35

What is the usual season for hurricanes in the North Atlantic?

A)May through July
B)June through August
C)May through August
D)May through November
E)July through November

Question 36

In the mid- latitudes,the most prominent system to bring precipitation is:

A)the sub-tropical high pressure belt
B)the Hadley cell
C)the westerlies
D)the traveling wave cyclone
E)the continental polar air mass

Question 37

The most frequent form of precipitation in the tropical latitudes is:

A)the traveling wave cyclone
B)the hurricane
C)the typhoon
D)the Hadley cell
E)the easterly wave

Question 38

When cold air invades warm a air which type of front will occur?

A)warm
B)cold
C)occluded
D)stationary
E)high

Question 39

Which of the following statements describes the global paths of tropical cyclones.

A)From east to west in the northern hemisphere and from west to east in the southern hemisphere
B)From west to east in the northern hemisphere and from east to west in the southern hemisphere
C)From east to west in both the northern and southern hemispheres
D)From west to east in both the northern and southern hemispheres
E)From east to west in the northern hemisphere and from south to north in the southern hemisphere

Question 40

When a cold front has overtaken the warm front in a wave cyclone,it is referred to as occluded.

Question 41

An air mass that forms under warm,moist,conditions will contain more moisture that an air mass that forms under cool,moist,conditions.

Question 42

Compare and contrast the conditions associated with warm and cold fronts.

Question 43

Warm front precipitation is produced from strataform clouds and are of a more gentle variety than that of cold front precipitation.

Question 44

The greatest loss of life associated with a tropical cyclone is due to storm surge.

Question 45

Wave cyclones are heavily concentrated in the regions of the Aleutian and Icelandic lows.

Question 46

Using a recent news story (from a newspaper or the Internet)describe the development,movement and impact of a tornado.

Question 47

Describe the anatomy of a hurricane,with particular reference to cloud types,wind speeds and atmospheric pressure.

Question 48

Describe the nature of a hurricane from its development,movement and dissolution.

Question 49

Arctic air masses contains less moisture than Polar air masses.

Question 50

A wave cyclone may contain warm and cold fronts,but not stationary fronts.

Question 51

Describe the factors responsible for the transport of heat and moisture from equatorial to polar regions.

Question 52

A pool of warm,moist air remains aloft after a wave cyclone has dissolved.

Question 53

Using satellite images from the Internet,describe the changes noticeable in the progression of a hurricane.How do different satellite sensors reveal different aspects of the hurricane?

Question 54

Describe the potential impact of global warming in the development of hurricanes.Explain why the nature of such impacts is still a matter of debate.

Question 55

Describe the development of wave cyclones.

Question 56

Explain the difference between mP and mT air masses.

Question 57

Describe the air masses that impact the weather in your location.Draw a sketch map to show the type and source of each of these air masses.

Question 58

Descending air at the ITCZ moves poleward and ascends at the subtropical high to move heat and moisture poleward.

Question 59

Tornados form at the leading edge of an occluded front.

Question 60

Using a current weather map (either from a newspaper or the Internet)identify the wave cyclones and their current stage of development.