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IFR written prep > Weather > Flashcards

Weather Flashcards

1
Q

Why should you slow down during turbulence?

A

The airplane will stall before exceeding the load limit

Gust load factors increase with speed, slowing can help limit these load factors

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2
Q

What feature is associated with the tropopause?

A

Abrupt change in the temperature lapse rate

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3
Q

A defining characteristic of the stratosphere is

A

relatively small change in temperature with altitude

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4
Q

Surface based temperature inversions typically develop

A

by ground radiation on clear, cool nights when the wind is light
The ground radiates and cools much faster than the overlying air. Air in contact with the ground becomes cool and the air a few hundred feet up changes little

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5
Q

What is the standard lapse rate for temperature?

A

2 degrees Celsius / 1,000 ft

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6
Q

What is the standard temperature at sea level

A

15 degrees Celsius

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7
Q

The primary cause of all changes in the Earth’s weather is

A

variation of solar energy–uneven heating of Earth’s surface

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8
Q

What feature is associated with a temperature inversion

A

A stable layer of air

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9
Q

What weather condition would you expect beneath a low level temperature inversion when relative humidity is high?

A

Smooth air and poor visibility due to fog, haze, and low clouds

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10
Q

What do winds normally flow parallel to?

A

Isobars

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11
Q

Why do surface winds not always flow parallel to the isobars

A

surface friction

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12
Q

What force acts at a right angle to weather and deflects it to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa for the Southern Hemisphere?

A

Coriolis force

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13
Q

When is hazardous wind shear commonly encountered near the ground?

A

during periods of strong temperature inversions and near thunderstorms

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14
Q

The presence of ice pellets, or hail, at the surface is evidence that at a higher altitude there is

A

freezing rain

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15
Q

What is ‘dew point’?

A

The temperature at which the air must be cooled to become saturated

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16
Q

The presence of wet snow at your flight altitude indicates that the freezing level is

A

above you

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17
Q

What enhances the growth rate of precipitation

A

Upward currents… Convective action

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18
Q

What types of clouds will form if very stable, moist air is forced upslope

A

Stratified clouds with little vertical development

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19
Q

Stability can be determined from what measurement of the atmosphere?

A

Ambient lapse rate

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20
Q

The suffix ‘nimbus’ in clouds means

A

rain cloud

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21
Q

What are the four families of clouds?

A

High, middle, low, and those with extensive vertical development

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22
Q

A high cloud is composed mostly of

A

ice crystals

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23
Q

Steady precipitation, in contrast to showers, preceding a front is an indication of

A

stratiform clouds, aka stable air with little or no turbulence

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24
Q

General characteristics of unstable air are

A

good visibility, showery precipitation, and cumuliform type clouds, turbulence

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25
Q

General characteristics of stable air are

A

fair to poor visibility, continuous precipitation, stratiform clouds and fog, smooth air

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26
Q

Frontal waves normally form on

A

slow moving cold fronts or stationary fronts

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27
Q

What weather phenomenon is always associated with the passage of a frontal system?

A

A wind change

28
Q

If standing lenticular clouds are seen over a mountainous area, a pilot should

A

be aware of severe mountain wave turbulence

29
Q

A tailwind that quickly changes to a headwind would cause

A

an increase of airspeed and performance

30
Q

A headwind that quickly changes to a tailwind would cause

A

a decrease of airspeed and performance

31
Q

Turbulence, for cumulus clouds, is located

A

at and below the cloud level

32
Q

Wind shear is an atmospheric condition that may be associated with

A

low level temperature inversions, a jet stream, or a frontal zone

33
Q

Which family of clouds is least likely to contribute to structural icing on an aircraft?

A

High clouds

34
Q

Where do squall lines most often develop?

A

Ahead of a cold front

35
Q

Which stage of a thunderstorm is characterized primarily by downdrafts?

A

Dissipating

36
Q

Which stage of a thunderstorm is characterized by rain at the surface

A

Mature

37
Q

What weather phenomenon is always associated with a thunderstorm?

A

Lightning

38
Q

What thunderstorms generally produce the most severe conditions?

A

Squall lines

39
Q

What are the requirements for the formation of a thunderstorm?

A

Sufficient moisture, an unstable lapse rate, and a lifting action

40
Q

T or F: Airborne weather avoidance radar can help avoid clouds and fog without precipitation

A

False!
Airborne weather avoidance radar can only detect echoes of where precipitation is concurring. It cannot detect minute clouds and fog without precipitation

41
Q

Advection fog usually forms from

A

moist air moving over colder ground or water

42
Q

Fog is usually prevalent in industrial areas because of

A

an abundance of condensation nuclei from combustion products

43
Q

Where is advection fog most likely to form?

A

An air mass moving inland from the coast in winter

44
Q

What types of fog depend upon a wind in order to exist?

A

Advection fog and up slope fog

45
Q

Where and when does radiation fog usually form

A

Warm, moist air over low, flatland areas on clear, calm nights

46
Q

What conditions are favorable for the formation of radiation fog?

A

Clear sky, little or no wind, small temperature/dew point spread, and over a land surface

47
Q

A jet stream is defined as wind of

A

50 knots or greater

48
Q

What is HIWAS and what does it do?

A

Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service
is a continuous broadcast over selected VORs of SIGMETs, Convective SIGMETs, AIRMETs, Severe Weather Forecasts Alerts (AWW), and Center Weather Advisories

49
Q

A ceiling is defined as

A

the lowest layer of clouds or obscuring phenomena aloft that is reported as BROKEN or OVERCAST

50
Q

The body of TAF covers a proximity within

A

5 statute miles from the center of the airport runway complex

51
Q

TWEB’s (Transcribed Weather Broadcast) provide what information

A

Sky Cover, Cloud tops, Weather, and obstructions to vision in a route format

52
Q

When are severe weather watch (WW) bulletins issued

A

Unscheduled and issued as required.

Defines areas of possible severe thunderstorms and tornados

53
Q

What is the maximum forecast period for AIRMETs

A

6 hours

54
Q

Area forecasts generally include a forecast period of …. and cover a geographical area the size of ….

A

18 hours

area the size of several states

55
Q

You can expect to see an operating rotating beacon at an airport during daylight when the ceiling and visibility are reported below

A

1,000ft and 3 miles

56
Q

When are ATIS broadcasts updated

A

whenever they receive any official weather updates regardless of content change

57
Q

Absence of sky condition and visibility on an ATIS specifically implies that

A

the ceiling is more than 5,000 ft and the visibility more than 5 miles

58
Q

What is the expected duration of a microburst

A

Seldom more than 15 minutes

59
Q

Maximum downdrafts in a microburst may be as strong as

A

6,000 ft per minute

60
Q

A temperature inversion will normally form only

A

in stable air

61
Q

Convective SIGMETs are valid for `

A

2 hours

62
Q

You encounter freezing drizzle at your flight altitude, this is a good indication that there is

A

warmer air above you

63
Q

US SIGMETS are issued what phenomena occur or are expected to occur?

A

Severe icing not associated with thunderstorms
Severe or extreme turbulence or clear air turbulence not associated with thunderstorms
Dust storms or sandstorms lowering visibility below 3 miles
Volcanic ash

64
Q

If you encounter wet snow at your altitude, this is a good indication that

A

the temperature is above freezing at your altitude

65
Q

While flying with the autopilot engaged, you encounter structural icing. You should be aware that

A

you may want to disengage the autopilot and hand fly the airplane

IFR written prep (5 decks)

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