Download Exam 2 Review

Meteo 171
Exam 2 review
Multiple Choice (3 points per question)
1.
A)
B)
C)
D)
What type of cloud always contains only ice crystals?
Cumulus clouds
Stratus clouds
Cirrus clouds
Vapor clouds
2.
Which of the following is needed to create sufficient charge separation for a
lightning strike?
A)
B)
C)
D)
A low number of condensation nuclei
Weak vertical velocity
Ice crystals
Hail
3.
A)
B)
C)
D)
What is the typical diameter of a cloud droplet?
1 meter
20 m
200 m
10 mm
4.
A)
B)
C)
D)
5.
A)
B)
C)
D)
Which process accurately describes the formation of a cloud?
Air warms as it sinks resulting in lower relative humidity, which produces clouds.
A warm “pocket” of air rises, cools to the dewpoint, and condenses cloud droplets
Water vapor floats skyward from surface water and forms clouds.
Evaporative cooling results in cool conditions at high altitude, resulting in clouds
Which condition would most favor severe thunderstorm formation?
Cool and dry at the surface, warm aloft
Warm and moist at the surface, very cold aloft
Convergence at high altitude
Divergence at the surface
6.
A)
B)
C)
D)
7.
What process allows ice crystals to grow quickly when near water droplets?
Geostrophic balancing
Ortiz-Ramirez process
The Bergeron-Findieson process
The collision-coalescence process
Which of the following would result in a larger magnitude of the coriolis force?
A) Moving farther southward toward the equator
B) Increasing the speed of a moving object
C) Decreasing the altitude of the a moving object
D) Decreasing the length time an object is moving through the atmosphere.
8. If a low pressure exists at the surface, why doesn’t it immediately get filled in by
converging air?
A.)
B.)
C.)
D.)
Air can’t converge during low pressure
Upward motion and sufficient divergence aloft maintains the low pressure
Sinking air helps to replace the converging air
The pressure-gradient force causes air to flow away from low pressure
Short Answer (3 points per question)
1. What is the primary type of cloud outside right now?
2. In order to result in precipitation, the terminal velocity of water droplets in a cloud
must be larger than what?
3. What phase transformation results in the growth of ice-crystals?
4. What process allows cloud droplets to grow large enough to fall in a warm cloud?
5. Why does hot air rise?
6. In what direction does the coriolis force act?
7. In what direction does the pressure gradient force act?
8. What is the current time in UTC or Z time?
9. What is the name of one commonly used numerical weather model?
10. Around a low-pressure storm in the northern hemisphere, what direction do winds
flow?
11. List 3 atmospheric conditions that would promote tornado development.
12. Why don’t hurricanes occur right at the equator?
13. Why do fewer hurricanes occur during el nino years?
14. List 4 changes that might occur with the passage of a cold front.
15. Why don’t winds obey strict geostrophic balance near the surface?
16. Why are tornados more likely during the spring than the fall?
Problems (12 Points per problem) :
1) On the following radiosonde plot from Texas, label or shade the following:
 LCL
 LFC
 EL
 CAPE
 CIN
And estimate the following:
Surface dewpoint (C):
Surface mixing ratio (g/kg)
Level of the LCL (mb & km) :
Height of maximum buoyancy (mb):
Freezing level (mb) :
Equilibrium Level (mb) :
Height, speed, and direction of fastest winds (km, kts, deg)
Relative Humidity at 500 mb (calculate):
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
___________
3. The following map shows the approximate the altitude of the 300 mb pressure level in
meters during on Nov. 21 From this map, determine the following:
a. Draw an L and H on the map to represent lowest and highest pressure and draw
several arrows indicating wind directions
b. Find the location and value of the largest pressure gradient.
c. Based on the principle of geostrophic balance, calculate the magnitude and direction
of the geostrophic wind above the location of the largest gradient on the map above. You
may assume the latitude of the location is 48 N .