Deck 9: Weather Patterns

Question 1

Refer to the diagram of a mature wave cyclone.

Line A- D probably represents:

A) an occluded front.
B) a stationary front.
C) a warm front.
D) a cold front.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Middle- latitude cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere:

A) rotate counterclockwise.
B) travel from east to west.
C) are large high- pressure systems.
D) have cold fronts but not warm fronts.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The approximate lifetime of a wave cyclone is:

A) 1 - 2 days.
B) 10 - 24 hours.
C) a month.
D) a few days to a week.
E) 10 - 14 days.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A wind shift in a clockwise direction, as from south to west, is termed wind shift.

A) veering
B) anticyclonic
C) frontal
D) backing

Question 5

The cloud type most frequently associated with a cold front is:

A) status.
B) cirrocumulus.
C) altocumulus.
D) cirrus.
E) cumulonimbus.

Question 6

Which of the following air masses is most likely to be the cold air in the diagram above?

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

Question 7

In the United States, the air mass most commonly found at the back of a cold front is:

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

Question 8

The arrival of a cold front brings:

A) higher temperatures.
B) cumulonimbus clouds.
C) mild weather.
D) stationary winds.
E) gentle rains.

Question 9

-The type of weather most frequently associated with the front shown on the diagram above is:

A) blizzards.
B) clear skies.
C) steady, gentle rainfall.
D) thunderstorms and other severe weather.

Question 10

An approaching wave cyclone would be indicated by a________ barometer reading.

A) slowly rising
B) high
C) variable, rising then falling
D) very low
E) rapidly falling

Question 11

Rain long foretold, long last; short notice, soon past. The FIRST FIVE words of this weather proverb:

A) refer to the formation of cumulonimbus clouds.
B) have no basis in fact.
C) refer to a cold front.
D) refer to a warm front.
E) refer to an anticyclone.

Question 12

A midlatitude cyclone forms in western Canada, and very rapidly moves through the Dakotas and passes over the Great Lakes region, bringing very cold temperatures with it. This storm would probably be called a(an):

A) Nor'easter.
B) Alberta Clipper.
C) Siberian Express.
D) Panhandle Hook.

Question 13

What is the cause- and- effect relationship between the pattern of upper- level winds and surface low- and high- pressure systems?

A) There is no strong or consistent relationship.
B) Surface lows decrease upper level wind speeds, surface highs increase them.
C) Surface systems depend primarily on wind speeds at upper levels.
D) Upper level wind patterns strongly control the origin and development of surface systems.
E) Surface systems control the upper level wind patterns.

Question 14

A trough aloft is generally associated with:

A) cyclonic flow at the surface.
B) anticyclonic flow at the surface.
C) convergence of the jet steam.
D) clear skies.

Question 15

A blocking high is caused by:

A) a persistent anticyclone.
B) a cutoff low.
C) an occluded front.
D) divergence in the upper atmosphere.

Question 16

A dryline causes uplift to occur because:

A) the lifted air mass is moister than the intruding air mass.
B) the intruding air mass has the same low humidity as the lifted air mass.
C) the intruding air mass is colder and more humid than the lifted air mass.
D) the lifted air mass is dryer than the intruding air mass.

Question 17

Surface cyclones move at a speed that is:

A) one- quarter to one- half the speed of the winds at the 500- mb pressure level.
B) five times greater than the speed of a cold front.
C) a product of the surface pressure gradient force.
D) determined by the jet stream.

Question 18

After a cold front passes, which of these does NOT usually occur?

A) clearing skies
B) wind direction shift
C) falling barometer
D) marked temperature drop

Question 19

As a warm front approaches, which progression of clouds are you most likely to see?

A) cirrus, cirrostratus, altostratus, nimbostratus
B) altostratus, cirrostratus, stratus, cumulonimbus
C) cirrus, cumulonimbus
D) cirrocumulus, cirrus, nimbostratus, stratus

Question 20

When speed divergence occurs in the upper atmosphere, what effect does it have on cyclogenesis?

A) It inhibits cyclogenesis by preventing cyclonic flow.
B) It greatly enhances cyclogenesis by increasing convergence on the surface below.
C) It has no impact whatsoever on the formation of mid- latitude cyclones.
D) It can either inhibit or enhance cyclogenesis, depending on the surface air temperature.

Question 21

Middle- latitude anticyclones in the Northern Hemisphere:

A) rotate clockwise.
B) are large low- pressure systems.
C) travel from east to west.
D) have cold fronts but not warm fronts.

Question 22

Which of these is common to both cold and warm fronts?

A) decreasing precipitation rates
B) light to calm winds
C) lifting of warm air over cold
D) steady barometer readings
E) divergence of surface winds

Question 23

A ridge aloft is generally associated with:

A) anticyclonic flow at the surface.
B) stormy weather.
C) cyclonic flow at the surface.
D) divergence of the jet stream.

Question 24

-Which of the following best represents the wind direction at point H?

A) SE
B) E
C) NW
D) NE
E) SW

Question 25

-Refer to the diagram of a front shown above. If the warm air at the back is stable, what kind of cloud is most likely to form and produce precipitation in association with the front?

A) altocumulus
B) cumulonimbus
C) nimbostratus
D) cirrus

Question 26

The clear skies that separate the head of the comma from the tail in a mid- latitude cyclone are associated with what feature of the storm?

A) the warm conveyor belt
B) the mT air mass
C) the cold conveyor belt
D) the dry slot

Question 27

-The type of front represented in the diagram above is a:

A) stationary front.
B) cold front.
C) warm- type occluded front.
D) cold- type occluded front.

Question 28

The lifting of air and the resulting formation of clouds and rain is more gentle (gradual) for a:

A) divergence zone.
B) warm front.
C) mesocyclone.
D) cold front.
E) occluded front.

Question 29

-The type of front shown on the diagram above is:

A) an occluded front.
B) a cold front.
C) a stationary front.
D) a warm front.

Question 30

-The type of front represented in the diagram above is a:

A) cold- type occluded front.
B) stationary front.
C) warm- type occluded front.
D) warm front.

Question 31

If you were 200 kilometers ahead of the surface position of a warm front, you would find the frontal surface at a height of ______km overhead.

A) 2.5
B) 0.5
C) 1.5
D) 2
E) 1

Question 32

A low- flying aircraft heading from point J to point H would most likely experience which of the following changes in wind direction?

A) N to S to W
B) SE to SW to NW
C) NE to N to NW
D) SW to SE to NE
E) E to W to NE

Question 33

The glaze (or freezing rain) that sometimes forms in association with warm fronts occurs when:

A) rain falls during the day and freezes at night.
B) rain freezes as it falls through the air.
C) rain strikes a very cold surface and freezes directly to it.
D) snow melts against a warm surface and later freezes.

Question 34

The modern view of cyclogenesis, updated from traditional polar front theory to provide a better three- dimensional view, is known as:

A) the wave model.
B) the Bjerknes model.
C) the triphasic model.
D) the conveyor belt model.

Question 35

The width or horizontal extent of a typical mid- latitude low pressure system would be:

A) 50 - 100 km.
B) 10,000 km.
C) 1000 km.
D) 20,000 km.
E) 5 - 10 km.

Question 36

Refer to the diagram of a mature wave cyclone.

Of the stations listed below, which one most likely has the LEAST rain and cloud cover?

A) point A
B) point B
C) point I
D) point G
E) point H

Question 37

Compared to other types of fronts, the weather associated with a cold front usually:

A) is more violent but of shorter duration.
B) does not involve thunderstorms.
C) is less violent but of longer duration.
D) covers more area.
E) involves less precipitation.

Question 38

Which of the stations listed below should have the highest temperature?

A) point A
B) point F
C) point J
D) point H
E) point E

Question 39

-Line A- B represents:

A) an occlusion.
B) a warm front.
C) a cold front.
D) an isobar.
E) none of these

Question 40

The general term applied to warm air moving up over a colder air mass is:

A) cold front.
B) orographic lifting.
C) warm front.
D) overrunning.

Question 41

All of the following are common locations for cyclongenesis EXCEPT for:

A) the Gulf of Mexico.
B) the Great Lakes region.
C) the North Pacific.
D) the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains.

Question 42

The energy of a mid- latitude cyclone comes mainly from:

A) Earth's interior.
B) clouds.
C) sinking cold air and rising warm air.
D) greenhouse effect.
E) ocean water.

Question 43

The more violent nature of weather produced by a cold front can be attributed to which two factors?

A) the gradual slope and slow forward motion of the front
B) the steep slope and slow forward motion of the front
C) the gradual slope and fast forward motion of the front
D) the steep slope and fast forward motion of the front

Question 44

Another common term for the wave cyclone is:

A) intertropical convergence zone.
B) tropical cyclone.
C) midlatitude cyclone.
D) polar- front cyclone.

Question 45

In 1921, J. Bjerknes and his co- authors published what came to be known as the polar front theory. Which one of the following statements is correct regarding this theory?

A) It was shown to be applicable only to winter storms in the Southern Hemisphere.
B) Although it was useful at the time, it is no longer a useful model.
C) The main features of the theory remain an important part of present- day meteorological thought.
D) The polar front theory was largely incorrect from the very beginning.

Question 46

Which air mass type is generally found on the poleward side of a midlatitude cyclone?

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

Question 47

A_________ cold front occurs when a strong high- pressure circulation brings colder, mP air into the eastern United States from the Atlantic Ocean.

A) backdoor
B) veering
C) reverse
D) anticyclonic

Question 48

-Refer to the diagram above. Which phase of the midlatitude cyclone's life cycle is associated with this type of front?

A) the anticyclonic phase
B) the mature phase
C) the birth and early development phase
D) the phase just prior to the dissipation of the storm

Question 49

The wind direction in a low pressure system is:

A) from the north.
B) from the northwest.
C) from the south.
D) from the east.
E) dependent on your location relative to the storm center.

Question 50

The process best illustrated in the diagram of a front above is:

A) occlusion.
B) convection.
C) overrunning.
D) convergence.

Question 51

A warm front is said to exist when:

A) moving cold air overrides warmer air.
B) invading cold air pushes underneath warmer air.
C) advancing warm air overrides retreating cold air.
D) warm air pushes underneath cold air.

Question 52

Why does occlusion lead to the demise of a mid- latitude cyclone?

A) The cold cP air mass driving the cyclone has warmed intensely.
B) The mT air mass has cooled through air mass modification.
C) All of the warm air has been lifted aloft.
D) The cold front stops progressing during occlusion.

Question 53

The type of front shown in the diagram above is:

A) a warm front.
B) an occluded front.
C) a cold front.
D) a stationary front.

Question 54

The life cycle of a midlatitude cyclone generally has ______stages.

A) ten
B) one
C) two
D) six
E) four

Question 55

If a warm front is approaching, you can expect:

A) falling temperatures.
B) clearing skies.
C) rising temperatures.
D) calm winds.

Question 56

Compared to warm fronts, cold fronts have:

A) the same gradient and a faster advance rate.
B) a shallower gradient and a slower advance rate.
C) a steeper gradient and a faster advance rate.
D) a shallower gradient and the same advance rate.
E) the same gradient and the same advance rate.

Question 57

A wind shift in a counterclockwise direction, as from east to north, is termed____ wind shift.

A) frontal
B) veering
C) backing
D) cyclonic

Question 58

A mature mid- latitude cyclone cloud pattern most closely resembles what when viewed from a satellite?

A) a starfish
B) a circle
C) a comma
D) an octopus

Question 59

On a weather map,__________ fronts are shown with blue triangular points along a blue line.

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

Question 60

The weather most typically associated with a blocking high is:

A) repeated storms that can lead to flooding in one part of the country.
B) severe thunderstorms and tornado outbreaks.
C) drought for the entire country.
D) high pressure and clear skies across the entire United States.

Question 61

Each of the statements refers to the approach or to the passage of a front. If the statement refers to the approach of a typical cold front, use the letter A for your answer. If the statement refers to the approach or passage of a typical warm front, use the letter B. If the statement applies to both, answer with letter C.

-Winds shift from southwest to northwest

Question 62

The development of major winter storms in the midwest depends strongly on:

A) air mass contrasts.
B) wind speed near the surface.
C) rainfall amounts during the previous fall.
D) amount of snow already on the ground.
E) wind speed aloft.

Question 63

Outside of the Great Lakes region, rising barometric pressure and a wind from the northwest generally mean that:

A) severe weather is approaching.
B) rain will occur within the next 3 hours.
C) a blizzard is approaching.
D) skies will clear.

Question 64

Each of the statements refers to the approach or to the passage of a front. If the statement refers to the approach of a typical cold front, use the letter A for your answer. If the statement refers to the approach or passage of a typical warm front, use the letter B. If the statement applies to both, answer with letter C.

-Severe thunderstorm/tornado

Question 65

Severe weather, including tornadoes, is most often associated with a ______front.

Question 66

Why is the weather associated with a cold front usually of short duration?

Question 67

Each of the statements refers to the approach or to the passage of a front. If the statement refers to the approach of a typical cold front, use the letter A for your answer. If the statement refers to the approach or passage of a typical warm front, use the letter B. If the statement applies to both, answer with letter C.

-Warm air is lifted over cold air

Question 68

Thunderstorms can be generated when a cT air mass meets an mT air mass and creates a frontal boundary called a:

A) dryline.
B) humidity front.
C) cold front.
D) warm front.

Question 69

What cloud type is often seen as the first sign of an approaching warm front?

Question 70

What feature of the upper- level wind pattern must exist for the origin and development of a surface low?

Question 71

Which location is most likely to be experiencing thunderstorms?

A) F
B) I
C) H
D) G

Question 72

Which of the following lists the stages of the mid- latitude cyclone life cycle in the proper order?

A) cyclogenesis, open- wave, dissipation, occlusion
B) open- wave, occlusion, cyclogenesis, dissipation
C) occlusion, dissipation, open- wave, cyclogenesis
D) cyclogenesis, open- wave, occlusion, dissipation

Question 73

On a weather map, a line with blue triangles on one side and red semicircles on the other represents:

A) an occluded front.
B) a cold front.
C) a warm front.
D) a stationary front.

Question 74

Each of the statements refers to the approach or to the passage of a front. If the statement refers to the approach of a typical cold front, use the letter A for your answer. If the statement refers to the approach or passage of a typical warm front, use the letter B. If the statement applies to both, answer with letter C.

-An "invading" cP air mass

Question 75

Each of the statements refers to the approach or to the passage of a front. If the statement refers to the approach of a typical cold front, use the letter A for your answer. If the statement refers to the approach or passage of a typical warm front, use the letter B. If the statement applies to both, answer with letter C.

-Long lasting, steady rainfall

Question 76

Describe the favored locations for surface cyclones and anticyclones with respect to the upper- level ridges and troughs.

Question 77

What type of occluded front is most common along the west coasts of continents?

Question 78

Which of these best describes the reason most high pressure systems bring clear skies?

A) cold air near the surface
B) sinking air aloft
C) rising air aloft
D) high temperatures aloft
E) low temperatures aloft

Question 79

When the center of a mature wave cyclone passes to the south, you should expect:

A) thunderstorms.
B) rising pressure and fair weather.
C) winds shifting from east to north and heavy precipitation.
D) to experience a veering wind shift.

Question 80

Each of the statements refers to the approach or to the passage of a front. If the statement refers to the approach of a typical cold front, use the letter A for your answer. If the statement refers to the approach or passage of a typical warm front, use the letter B. If the statement applies to both, answer with letter C.

-Pressure falls when front approaches