Fog and Atmospheric Pressure Flashcards
What are layered clouds called? What do they indicate?
Stratus / Stable conditions
What do stratified clouds indicate?
Stable conditions with fair to poor visibility
What are layered or stratified cloud close to the surface called?
Fog
What kind of clouds with vertical development indicate an unstable atmosphere?
Cumulus
What can you expect with cumulus clouds?
High visibility, bumpy/unstable flight
What are the layers of the atmosphere?
Troposphere to 40000’, Tropopause (boundry), Stratosphere
What is an inversion in the troposphere?
There is a rise in temperature in a layer as the altitude increases
What is the result of surface or low level inversions?
Fog, smoke, or pollutants get trapped
How does water vapor capacity in the atmosphere change with temperature?
As temperature increases, water vapor capacity increases
What is relative humidity?
The ratio between the amount of water vapor in the air and the capacity of water vapor in that same air at that pressure and temperature
What is the dew point? What happens at the dewpoint?
The temperature at which relative humidity reaches 100% / The air becomes saturated with water vapor?
What is a condensation nuclei?
Tiny particle on which water can condense
What causes fog?
Addition of moisture to the air, cooling the air to the dewpoint, or a combination of the two
What is radiation fog?
On clear nights, ground heat escapes and water vapor condenses at the surface layer
What is advection fog?
Forms when warm, moist air moves over a cold surface
