Download Outside-class project#9a questions

Name:_______________________
Introduction to Meteorology
Outside-class Project#9a (Chapter 10)
Due: Thursday, 10 November 2016
Tier One Challenge Questions {worth 5 points each}
(1) List the stages of development of an ordinary cell (air mass) thunderstorm and the typical
period of time associated with the stages of development for a single thunderstorm. Explain why
ordinary cell thunderstorms tend to dissipate much sooner than multicell storms.
(2) How do supercell thunderstorms differ from ordinary cell (air mass) thunderstorms? Be
certain to specify which thunderstorm type is likely to have a longer lifespan and which is likely
to meet the “severe” criteria. Your explanation should include reasons why there are differences
in lifespan and severity.
(3) What is a dryline thunderstorm and where in the U.S. is it most likely to form? Why?
Tier Two Challenge Questions {worth 20 points each}
(4) Assume a conditionally unstable environment rests over Asheville, as defined in Fig. 5.9 of
Chapter 5, with the exception that the environment measured by the early-morning weather
balloon indicates a surface temperature of 15oC and a dew-point temperature of 10oC. Describe
what must happen to the temperature and humidity of the air near the surface to have the best
chance of growing the deepest ordinary cell thunderstorm and producing a significant amount of
precipitation in Asheville. Justify your answer by showing the impact of the proposed change in
temperature and humidity on the buoyancy of air parcels rising from the surface. Assume that the
dry and moist adiabatic rates are 10 and 6oC km-1, respectively. Hint; you might find Fig. 4.5
helpful in determining the T-storm condensation level. Also, the methodology of Problem (4)
from outside-class exercise Project #5b could prove helpful on this challenge question.