5B-1 Climo, RAFP, And Fcst Reviews Flashcards
(100 cards)
0
Q
Descriptive climatology usually deals with
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Geographic regions
1
Q
The average or collective store of the earth’s atmosphere at any given location or area within a specified period is known as
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Climate
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Q
The temperature of an area depends on latitude, distribution of incoming and outgoing radiation, nature of the surface (land or water), altitude, and
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Prevailing winds
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Q
Which climatic element is an important factor in the formation of fog over bodies of water?
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Evaporation
4
Q
Which climatic element becomes especially important in desert areas?
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Condensation
5
Q
Which is a vectorial average?
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The resultant wind
6
Q
The most commonly used climatological parameter is the
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Mean
7
Q
The extreme highest and lowest values for any given meteorological element recorded at a place of observation is known as the
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Absolute
8
Q
The highest and lowest value for any given meteorological element that has occurred over a particular period is known as the
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Extreme
9
Q
What are the two types of frequency distributions?
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Continuous and discrete
10
Q
Thunderstorm occurrences are an example of
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Discrete data
11
Q
The most common value in a frequency distribution is known as the
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Mode
12
Q
The type of deviation used most often in meteorological studies is the
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Standard deviation
13
Q
The climate of a region is impacted most by
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Latitude
14
Q
What sets the air in motion, tending to develop a general pattern of motion all over the earth?
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Latitudinal difference in the earth’s heating
15
Q
Coastal areas take on the temperature characteristics of the land or water
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To their windward side
16
Q
Why is the mean temperature of the Northern Hemisphere higher than that of the Southern Hemisphere?
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There is more land in the Northern Hemisphere
Oceans in the Northern Hemisphere are warmer
Oceans of the Northern Hemisphere are more protected from cold polar waters by land barriers
17
Q
Rome, Italy and New York City are approximately the same latitude, yet Rome has a much milder winter climate. What factor is mostly responsible for this?
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East-west orientation of the Alps
18
Q
What two general topographical features have the greatest affect on the climate of an area?
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Altitude and mountain barriers
19
Q
Which pressure centers are the major climatic controls affecting climate?
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Semipermanent pressure centers
20
Q
The principal cause of the surface ocean currents is the
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Frictional effect of wind
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Q
A secondary cause of the surface ocean currents is the
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density differences due to salinity and temperature variations
22
Q
Upwelling is the process by which
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Subsurface water is displaced toward the surface
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Q
What are the two fastest ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere?
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Kuroshio System and the Gulf Stream
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The Gulf Stream System is made up of the
Florida Current, the Gulf Stream, and the North Atlantic Current
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The northern extension of the Gulf Stream system is called the
North Atlantic Current
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Although it is a high latitude, the climatic region of northwestern Europe has a somewhat moderate temperature in winter. This is due to the
Effects of the North Atlantic Current
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Which North Atlantic current is similar to the Kuroshio current in its flow and climatological influence?
Florida Current
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What are the two best clues for locating the North Pacific Current?
Temperature and salinity
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In the fall, upwelling along the California coast gives way to a countercurrent that flows northward along the coast to about 48 deg latitude. What is the name of that countercurrent?
Davidson Current
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In the Southern Hemisphere, surface ocean circulations are much the same as in the Northern Hemisphere, except that the circulations move
Counterclockwise in response to the winds around the subtropical highs
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Which statement reflects the relationship between open land and forests on wind speed at the same latitude?
Open land wind speeds are higher
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What is the effect of large human settlements on temperatures?
Daily maximum and minimum temperatures are higher
33
If the boundaries of the hot belt are determined by given isotherms, the width of the zone
Increases over the continents
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A climatic province that is classified as humid mesothermal by Koppen is the
Oceanic moderate
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Koppen's climate classification is based mainly on temperature, precipitation amount, and season of maximum precipitation. These elements were selected primarily because of their effect on
Plant growth
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Thornthwaite's classification of climates places a great deal of emphasis on the effectiveness of precipitation, which is the relationship between precipitation and
Evaporation at a certain place
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Trewartha's climatic classification states that mountainous (highland H) climates are difficult to group climatologically on a small scale map due to the added
Vertical dimension and the markedly change in atmospheric conditions
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An area has a stationary air mass over its coastline and the land surface is warmer then the sea surface because of radiational heating. In what direction do local winds blow?
From water to land during the day and from land to water at night.
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What type of modified air mass is observed over India and Burma during the winter monsoon season?
Continental polar
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The equivalent chill factor depends on the
Temperature and wind
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The heat index depends on the
Temperature and relative humidity
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What temperature is used as a constant in the equation for computing cooling degree days?
65
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What climatological product is produced to provide professional engineers with useful information in the design and maintenance of building?
Engineering weather data (EWD)
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As a general rule, which of the following climatological products is reviewed prior to issuing any forecast?
Winds stratified conditional climatology (WSCC)
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What size of an area do macro scale systems influence?
1,500 nautical miles
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Which type of analysis covers an area of sufficient size to identify systems affecting a forecaster's area of operation?
Synoptic scale analysis
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Which is false concerning the classification of systems?
Local winds, temperatures, and clouds are not influenced by mesoscale systems.
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Which of the following is a synoptic system?
Warm front!
Mesohigh - mesoscale
Mesocyclone - mesoscale
Radar thin line - mesoscale
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Which if the following is a mesoscale system?
Mesolow!
Long wave trough - macro scale
Short wave trough - macro scale
Semi-permanent cyclone - macro scale
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A synoptic or mesoscale weather pattern that affects the weather at a particular location defines
A weather regime
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What often determines the name of a synoptic weather regime?
Development region and system type
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Which of the following information is not available via the MetTIPs?
Specific regime forecasting checklists for every weather unit in the CONUS
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This analytical process involves analyzing at the largest scale first, then focusing downward to the smallest scale?
Forecast funnel
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The affect that the zonal index has on the speed and movement of synoptic systems is a
High zonal index that would cause systems to speed up and move from the west to east
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What affect does the amplitude of a long wave trough or ridge have on surface systems?
A large amplitude long wave trough would cause a low located ahead of it to deepen due to the strong divergence
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What affect does the amplitude of a long wave trough or ridge have on surface systems?
A large amplitude long wave ridge would cause a high located ahead of it to build due to the strong convergence
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Which products are considered standard for detecting the long wave pattern?
Satellite water vapor analysis, 5-wave analysis chart, and 500 mb hemispheric charts
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How is synoptic regime information categorized?
Geographical region, long wave pattern, and surface features
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How do most units document regime information in their TFRN or LAFP?
Documented regime information will be specific to their location
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Which is NOT an example of a regime specific forecasting approach?
Performing standard isobaric analysis of surface charts as outlined by routine station procedures
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Suggested times spent on interrogating different atmospheric scales are
10 percent macro scale, 30 percent synoptic, and 60 percent mesoscale and local
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What two steps are followed to document your synoptic analysis on a forecast worksheet?
Identification and interrogation
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Which statement BEST describes the first verification in the VIV process?
Verify the previous 12-hour forecast positions with the current 00-hour forecast positions for the same time
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Which statement BEST describes the second verification in the VIV process?
Verify the 12-hour forecast positions with analysis of real-time dats for the same time, such as MetSAT analysis
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Which part of the forecast worksheet is used to record forecast justification for each weather element in a forecast?
Forecast reasoning
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Which area is favorable for the development and formation of storm centers, due to geographical and climatological conditions?
Northern portions of the Gulf of Mexico
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This US weather region is dominated by a cold high in the midwinter that prevents storm systems from moving into it is the
West central intermountain area
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This US weather regions' main weather hazards are caused by wintertime outbreaks along the polar front and associated wave phenomena
Central Plains area
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Which US weather region is an area of storm track convergence?
Northeastern area
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The Atlantic Ocean modifies weather along the east coast of Canada by keeping the east coast
Summers cooler and winters warmer than inland regions
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Where would you expect predominantly wet, cloudy, and relatively warm winter weather in Canada?
East coast region
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Relatively warm temperatures exist in Alaska during the summer due to the
Increased solar insolation and decreased clouds
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What mountain chain separates France from Spain and how is it oriented?
Pyrenees; oriented west to east
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India encounters an abundance of precipitation (425 inches or more) annually due to
Southwest monsoon and associated onshore flow
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What is the most important climatic element in Africa?
Precipitation
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What is a forecast review?
An after-the-fact review of the observations, analyses, and forecast aids there were available to the forecaster
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What is the difference between a forecast study and a review?
A study requires more work analyzing data and the info is documented at greater length
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What is a forecast seminar?
A presentation developed and performed by weather personnel for the purpose of giving or discussing weather information
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What is the purpose of a forecast review?
Improve forecasting
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Forecast reviews will generally fall under the following four categories:
Forecast evaluation
Failed to follow forecast procedures
Outstanding forecast
Significant weather event
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What is a forecast evaluation?
The process of determine forecast accuracy against the observed weather
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A review accomplished for failing to follow forecast procedures should include
The forecast procedures that were improperly followed, the consequences of those actions, and the procedures that you should have followed
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Which would be useful for testing and developing new forecast techniques?
Forecast study
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What is the first step in developing a forecast review or study?
Compile pertinent data
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When accomplishing a forecast review or study, what type of meteorological model data should you compile?
All the meteorological models available to the forecaster
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Why is it important to scan forecasts from the surrounding area when accomplishing a forecast review or study?
To search for accurate forecasts in an effort to open a line of communication with the responsible forecasters and get the information that led to their accurate forecast
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The purpose of reanalyzing the compiled data is to
Correct mistakes and find featured that were originally missed
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After reanalyzing the data for a forecast review or study, what analysis approach should be used to construct a logical three-dimensional description of the atmosphere?
Forecast funnel
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A chronological list of weather events and their potential causes would best define
Event scenario
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How can the process of determining the root causes of a weather episode differ for a review versus a study?
Developing a review requires you to determine the root causes missed in your original reasoning, while a study requires you to present all the causes in your documentation.
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In documenting a forecast review, the purpose of providing a synoptic description is to
Provide an introduction and rough guide to the synoptic classification
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When documenting a forecast review, why is it necessary to include your original reasoning?
It can indicate better ways to do the job as well as define any misinterpretations of existing guidance
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What is the purpose of a forecast review if the causes of the weather are imperfectly known?
To help build a database used to improve the knowledge/understanding of the event
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What is the most important section of the documented forecast review?
Lessons learned
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Which is NOT one of the steps in devolving a forecast seminar?
Construct a manuscript
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What is the first step in researching the subject?
Determine what you already know before looking elsewhere
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What is the three-part arrangement that MOST communication follows?
Introduction, body, conclusion
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What is the underlying purpose of having audio-visual aids in a forecast seminar presentation?
To help relay your message
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What is the BEST way to get over being uncomfortable speaking in front of people?
Rehearsing
