Deck 5: Weather Systems and Severe Weather

Question 1

Find the largest cold front located on the map.The likely air mass to the west of the cold front is a ________ mass that is likely to be ________ than the air mass to the east.

A)mT; moister
B)mP; moister
C)cP; drier
D)cP; moister

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following best explains for the midlatitude cyclone tracking to the northeast and strengthening?

A)Upper air accelerating and converging
B)Upper air slowing and diverging
C)Upper air accelerating and diverging
D)Surface level winds accelerating and diverging

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In the cross section of the front pictured here

A)cumuliform clouds tend to form with precipitation being relatively short-lived.
B)cumuliform clouds tend to form with precipitation being of relatively long duration.
C)stratiform clouds tend to form with precipitation being relatively short-lived.
D)stratiform clouds tend to form with precipitation being of relatively long duration.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following segments best illustrates the end of a midlatitude cyclones occlusion process?

A)F-E
B)D-C
C)B-A

Question 5

Find the largest front located north of the Great Lakes on the map.The likely air mass to the south of this front is a ________ mass that is likely to be ________ than the air mass to the north.

A)mP; moister
B)cP; drier
C)cP; moister
D)mT; moister

Question 6

When an occlusion occurs,

A)the warm front overtakes the cold front and the colder air is lifted from the surface.
B)the warm front overtakes the cold front and the warmer air is lifted from the surface.
C)the cold front overtakes the warm front and the colder air is lifted from the surface.
D)the cold front overtakes the warm front and the warmer air is lifted from the surface.

Question 7

Which of the following locations would contribute to midlatitude cyclogenesis?

A)The upwind side of a mountain chain
B)Along cold constant pressure surfaces
C)Relatively warm water offshore from a cold land mass
D)Relatively cold water offshore from a warm land mass

Question 8

Which of the following locations would spawn a storm track known as a "Noreaster" that is difficult to forecast and can bring heavy snow?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Question 9

Which of the following locations would contribute to midlatitude cyclogenesis?

A)Where air converges and accelerates as it passes from an upper air ridge to an upper air trough
B)Where air spreads out and accelerates as it passes from an upper air ridge to an upper air trough
C)Where air converges and slows as it passes from an upper air trough to an upper air ridge principles
D)Where air spreads out and accelerates as it passes from an upper air trough to an upper air ridge

Question 10

The mT air masses pictured here originate

A)over water,are stable,and bring cold air during the summer.
B)over water,are unstable,and bring warm air during the winter.
C)over land,are stable,and bring cold air during the summer.
D)over land,are unstable,and bring warm air during the winter.

Question 11

Which of the following locations would best represent a storm track characterized as bringing cold moist air to inland Canada?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Question 12

In regard to the occlusion process,at which segment has warm air been lifted above the cooler and cold air?

A)F-E
B)D-C
C)B-A

Question 13

Which conditions are correctly listed below in regard to the formation of lake effect snows?

A)Area A is colder than area B with an stable atmosphere.
B)Area A is warmer than area B with an unstable atmosphere.
C)Area B is colder than area A with an stable atmosphere.
D)Area B is warmer than area B with an stable atmosphere.

Question 14

In the cross section of the front pictured here

A)stratiform clouds tend to form with precipitation being relatively short-lived.
B)stratiform clouds tend to form with precipitation being of relatively long duration.
C)cumuliform clouds tend to form with precipitation being relatively short-lived.
D)cumuliform clouds tend to form with precipitation being of relatively long duration.

Question 15

In regard to the occlusion process,at which segment is warm air in contact with the surface?

A)F-E
B)D-C
C)B-A

Question 16

Which of the following air masses pictured here is dry,unstable,and hot?

A)mP
B)mT
C)cP
D)cT

Question 17

Which of the following air masses pictured here is typically unstable,with cold air overlying warm air? The westerlies often push this cool,damp wind of this air mass eastward.

A)cT
B)cP
C)mP
D)mT

Question 18

Find the stationary front located in northwestern Canada.The likely air mass to the west of the stationary front is a ________ airmass that is likely to be ________ than the air mass to the east.

A)mT; warmer
B)mP; warmer
C)cP; cooler
D)cP; warmer

Question 19

The cP air masses pictured here originate

A)over land masses and bring cold air during the winter.
B)over land masses and bring warm air during the summer.
C)over water and bring warm air during the summer.
D)over water and bring cold air during the winter.

Question 20

As an mP air mass in the United States moves eastward over the northern Great Plains of the U.S.The air mass is likely going to be modified to a

A)cP air mass.
B)mT air mass.
C)cT air mass.
D)It will stay as an mP air mass.

Question 21

The most frequent time of day for hail based on a sample of five U.S.cities is

A)6 a.m.
B)noon.
C)4 p.m.
D)10 p.m.

Question 22

Where is the difference between frontal boundaries so slight that the uplift necessary to create thunderstorms is lacking?

A)Northeast
B)Southwest
C)Pacific Northwest
D)Southeast

Question 23

The best evidence of vertical wind shear in this development of a multicell thunderstorm is at the

A)cumulus stage.
B)cloud merger stage.
C)dissipating stage.
D)mature stage.

Question 24

Midlatitude anticyclones are likely to form at which part of a Rossby Wave? Where

A)air diverges and accelerates.
B)air diverges and slows.
C)air converges and accelerates.
D)air converges and slows.

Question 25

Thunderstorms would be most frequent

A)in January in the Northern Hemisphere over land.
B)in July in the Northern Hemisphere over oceans.
C)in January in the Southern Hemisphere over oceans.
D)in July in the Southern Hemisphere over land.

Question 26

Where in the cloud is Bergeron process going to be most vigorous?

A)A
B)B
C)C

Question 27

Which state,as a whole,experiences the highest frequency of thunderstorms in the United States?

A)Michigan
B)South Carolina
C)Louisiana
D)Florida

Question 28

Which of the following is likely to strengthen a supercell thunderstorm?

A)Evaporational cooling associated with downdrafts cooling updrafts
B)Extensive blasts of thunder causing increased latent heat release
C)Dry line with air masses of similar moisture content
D)Tightening of updraft rotation found in the mesocyclone

Question 29

Which of the following group of regions receive the most frequent thunderstorms?

A)Gulf of Mexico,central Africa,Southeast Asia
B)Great Lakes,north Africa,Japan
C)West coast of the United States,northern Canada,Antarctica
D)West coast of South America,west coast of south Africa,southern Australia

Question 30

Which of the following statements is true regarding U.S.hail seasonality?

A)Hail occurs later in the calendar year in northern states than southern states.
B)Hail occurs earlier in the calendar year in northern states than southern states.
C)Hail occurs most frequently in Southeastern states in January and October.
D)Hail occurs most frequently in High Plains states in January and October.

Question 31

Annual U.S.hail frequency is greatest

A)in Southeastern states like North and South Carolina.
B)in Pacific Northwest states like Washington and Oregon.
C)in northern High Plains states like North and South Dakota.
D)in southern High Plains states like Oklahoma and Kansas.

Question 32

All of the following could enhance a single-celled thunderstorm except

A)a hot surface and an updraft dominated cloud.
B)a cool surface and a downdraft dominated cloud.
C)extensive areas of cloud mergers between adjacent clouds.
D)vertical wind shear keeping precipitation separated from the uplift zone.

Question 33

All of the following will enhance the formation of hail except

A)great vertical development of the cloud.
B)little temperature contrast between fronts.
C)great amounts of cloud water droplets and water vapor.
D)strong updrafts and downdrafts found within the cloud.

Question 34

The best evidence of vertical wind shear in this development of a multicell thunderstorm is at

A)A.
B)B.
C)C.
D)D.

Question 35

The formation of a midlatitude anticyclone is favored

A)on the eastern side of an upper-level trough.
B)on the western side of an upper-level ridge.
C)on the eastern side of an upper-level ridge.
D)on either the eastern or western side of a trough.

Question 36

Which stage in thunderstorm formation is characterized by updrafts accompanied by downdrafts induced by falling precipitation?

A)Cloud merger stage
B)Cumulus stage
C)Dissipating stage
D)Mature stage

Question 37

For the United States as a whole,thunderstorm activity is most intense in

A)September.
B)July.
C)April.
D)March.

Question 38

In the anticyclone pictured here,the winds at area B are from the ________ bringing ________ temperatures.

A)north; warmer
B)south; warmer
C)north; cooler
D)south; cooler

Question 39

Migrating midlatitude anticyclones typically

A)move easterly driven by the prevailing westerlies.
B)move westerly driven by the prevailing westerlies.
C)move easterly driven by the prevailing easterlies.
D)move westerly driven by the prevailing easterlies.

Question 40

In the anticyclone pictured here,the winds at area A are from the ________ bringing ________ temperatures.

A)north; warmer
B)south; warmer
C)north; cooler
D)south; cooler

Question 41

Which sequence best describe thunder formation?

A)Cooling,expansion,air filling the vacuum
B)Heating,contraction,air filling the vacuum
C)Heating,expansion,air filling the vacuum
D)Cooling,contraction,air filling the vacuum

Question 42

Microbursts

A)are never accompanied by rain,and are only associated with dust storms.
B)occur in the early stage of thunderstorms when latent heat release is maximized.
C)normally display a "starburst" (radial)damage pattern from rotating winds.
D)are characterized by strong updrafts that can cause airplanes to crash.

Question 43

The weather system most likely to produce the strongest tornadoes is generally associated with

A)cold fronts.
B)warm fronts.
C)hurricanes.
D)single-cell thunderstorms.

Question 44

Which of the following represents the correct charge sequence to create lightning?

A)A,negative; B,positive; C,negative
B)A,positive; B,negative; C,positive
C)A,positive; B,negative; C,negative
D)A,negative; B,negative; C,positive

Question 45

The most likely time for a tornado during the day is at

A)6 a.m.
B)noon when the sun is highest in the sky.
C)6 p.m.
D)midnight when temperatures are coolest.

Question 46

During the summer,which of the following regions would experience the greatest number of tornadoes?

A)Northern Great Plains
B)Florida
C)Gulf coast
D)Southern Great Plains

Question 47

All of the following are conducive to the formation of tornadoes except

A)vertical wind shear.
B)internal rotation and updrafts.
C)mountains and other topographic barriers.
D)tightening internal rotation.

Question 48

Which of the following regions has the lowest annual frequency of tornadoes?

A)Florida
B)North Texas to the Dakotas
C)Gulf Coast
D)Northeast coast

Question 49

The frequency of reported tornadoes would be favored by all the conditions except

A)proximity to a supply of warm moist air.
B)upper level wind shear.
C)sophisticated detection ability.
D)north south mountain chains.

Question 50

Haboobs

A)occur where upper level wind patterns encourage rising motion.
B)normally display a "starburst" (radial)damage pattern from rotating winds.
C)are associated with waterspouts,usually created during the early phase of a thunderstorm.
D)are associated with dust storms,usually created during the dying phase of a thunderstorm.

Question 51

The origin of dust devils would be most similar to

A)tornadoes.
B)haboobs.
C)microbursts.
D)virga.

Question 52

Each of the following is a wise strategy when lightning is sited except

A)lying down outdoors to minimize ground contact.
B)seeking an automobile to wait out the storm.
C)avoiding touching or standing near tall metal objects.
D)staying away from windows or doors in the house.

Question 53

Which state would be the safest if you wanted to avoid death by lightning?

A)Maine
B)Washington
C)Wyoming
D)Florida

Question 54

Fair-weather waterspouts generally

A)form from normal cumulus clouds.
B)are the strongest type of waterspout.
C)are associated with tornadoes.
D)form from thunderclouds.

Question 55

Derechos are

A)strong updrafts that can cause airplanes to crash.
B)strong downdrafts often creating ominous looking shelf clouds.
C)concentrated on the Gulf Coast,particularly Florida.
D)normally display a "starburst" (radial)damage pattern from rotating winds.

Question 56

One of the ways to stay safe from the danger of lightning is to know how far away the approaching storm is.If you see a flash of lightning and then hear thunder approximately 15 seconds later,the lightning is

A)right on top of your location.
B)a mile from your location.
C)three miles from your location.
D)fifteen miles from your location.

Question 57

Strong updrafts and internal rotation are necessary to spawn tornadoes.Which location is most likely to have a tornado?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 58

The most likely area for the development of tornadoes from this hurricane once it makes landfall is

A)A.
B)B.
C)C.
D)D.

Question 59

One of the reasons why tornado frequency is lower in Europe than in North America is

A)the Gulf Stream encourages the clash or warm and cold air.
B)east west trending mountains inhibit the clash of warm and cold air.
C)lower population densities and storm reporting capabilities.
D)higher than normal temperatures due to the presence of the Gulf Stream.

Question 60

A tornado blows walls from homes.The likely EF categorization of the tornado producing this damage is

A)EF1.
B)EF2.
C)EF3.
D)EF4.

Question 61

When contrasting a weather warning,with a weather watch,the warning is usually designated for a ________ and means you should ________.

A)smaller area; be aware that conditions are favorable for severe weather
B)larger area; be aware that conditions are favorable for severe weather
C)larger area; seek shelter immediately
D)smaller area; seek shelter immediately

Question 62

Weather is defined by

A)the type of precipitation,if any,that is occurring at a specific time.
B)the conditions in the atmosphere at some specific time and place.
C)how hot or cold it is outside.
D)the long-term pattern of temperature and precipitation levels at a place.

Question 63

Which weather model would provide the best accuracy/precision but the greatest cost in terms of computer time?

A)Finer spatial resolution,shorter time steps
B)Finer spatial resolution,longer time steps
C)Larger spatial resolution,longer time steps
D)Larger spatial resolution,shorter time steps

Question 64

Which phenomena involves the most equations in weather forecasting models?

A)Changes in incoming energy
B)Atmospheric moisture
C)Density changes
D)Atmospheric motion

Question 65

This satellite image shows conditions on Day 1 of the weather investigation.What type of feature is located over the center of North America?

A)A mid-latitude cyclone
B)ITCZ
C)Bermuda-Azores high
D)Tibetan high

Question 66

A tropical cyclone in the southern hemisphere rotates ________ and has a storm track turning ________.

A)clockwise,south and southwest
B)counterclockwise,south and southwest
C)clockwise,north and northwest
D)counterclockwise,north and northwest

Question 67

A tropical cyclone will be strengthened by

A)entrainment of dry air.
B)a path over cool water.
C)a path over warm water.
D)decreased release of latent heat.

Question 68

Where will the storm surge be greatest for this cyclone or hurricane making land fall in Louisiana?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 69

A tropical cyclone will be weakened

A)by entrainment of moist air.
B)by decreased wind shear.
C)by decreased friction.
D)when it makes landfall.

Question 70

Which of the following sources of data for weather forecasts are provided at the most intermittent intervals?

A)Satellite data
B)Radar
C)Airborne instruments
D)Marine data

Question 71

Which of the following types of damage from tropical cyclones originates farthest from the coast?

A)Flooding by rain swollen inland streams
B)Storm surges that raise sea level
C)High winds eroding local beaches
D)Burial of neighborhoods by sand

Question 72

Most Atlantic tropical cyclones have their origin in

A)the Caribbean.
B)northwest Africa.
C)the Gulf of Mexico.
D)the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Question 73

Doppler radar detects motion within a supercell thunderstorm using the Doppler effect,which states that

A)Immobile objects will result in an increase in wavelength.
B)objects moving away from the transmitter will result in an increase in wavelength.
C)objects moving toward the transmitter will result in an increase in wavelength.
D)objects moving away from the transmitter will result in an decrease in wavelength.

Question 74

Considering the history of Hurricane Sandy,what happened to the hurricane following the event shown in this image?

A)It turned eastward across the Atlantic Ocean,sparing the land
B)It collided with a storm system coming eastward across the continent
C)It turned south and caused damage in the Caribbean
D)It turned southwest and caused damage to Florida

Question 75

Which of the following is true concerning the Saffir-Simpson scale except

A)category 3-5 storms are considered major hurricanes.
B)Hurricane Katrina was a category 5 hurricane.
C)a tropical storm becomes a hurricane when winds exceed 119 km/hr (74 mi/hr).
D)a category 5 hurricane produces more than five times the damage of a category 1 hurricane.

Question 76

Which of the following regions received the most damage from Hurricane Sandy?

A)California,especially San Francisco
B)Tornado alley in the center of the U.S.
C)The Atlantic coast,especially near New Jersey
D)Louisiana,especially New Orleans and the area near the Superdome

Question 77

A tropical cyclone in the northern hemisphere rotates ________ and has a storm track turning ________.

A)clockwise; south and southeast
B)counterclockwise; south and southeast
C)clockwise; north and northeast
D)counterclockwise; north and northeast

Question 78

All of the following is true regarding Doppler radar except

A)mountains can shield areas from coverage.
B)false echoes can occur from moving objects like birds.
C)complete coverage in large urban areas with skyscrapers.
D)false echoes can occur from stationary objects like skyscrapers.

Question 79

Which of the following was discussed in the opening two-page spread of the Weather Systems and Severe Weather chapter?

A)Hurricane Katrina
B)Drought in Africa
C)Wildfires in Kenya
D)Tornadoes in the southeastern U.S.
E)All of these choices are correct

Question 80

If a storm can survive the west side of an easterly wave,there is a chance it can intensify into a hurricane.Which of the following is correct regarding an easterly wave?

A)The west side of the wave has rising,stable air.
B)The west side of the wave has descending,unstable air.
C)The east side of the wave has rising,unstable air.
D)The east side of the wave has descending,stable air.