Chapter 13) Lesson 2 Weather Patterns

Question 1

What is a high-pressure system?

Answer 1

a high pressure system is a large body of circulating air with high pressure at its center and lower pressure on the outside of the system.

Question 2

What happens in a high pressure system?

Answer 2

The air on the inside of the system moves away from the center. dense air sinks, bringing clear skies and fair weather.

Question 3

What is a low-pressure system?

Answer 3

a low-pressure system is a large body of circulating air with low pressure at its center and higher pressure outside of the system.

Question 4

What happens in a low-pressure system?

Answer 4

Air inside the system tends to rise. Rising air cools and condenses forming clouds and sometimes precipitation.

Question 5

What is an air mass

Answer 5

air masses are large bodies of air with uniform temperature, humidity, and pressure.

Question 6

how are air masses formed

Answer 6

They form when a large high-pressure system lingers over the same area for several days.

Question 7

how far can air masses extend

Answer 7

They can extend for thousands of miles.

Question 8

what characteristics change with the land below an air mass

Answer 8

The air in the system takes on the temperature and moisture characteristics of the surface below it.

Question 9

what are air masses classified by?

Answer 9

Air Masses are classified by their temperature and moisture characteristics.

Question 10

continental air masses

Answer 10

are formed over land and are dry.

Question 11

maritime air masses

Answer 11

are formed over water and are moist.

Question 12

tropical air masses

Answer 12

formed in equatorial regions and are warm

Question 13

polar air masses

Answer 13

formed in cold regions and are cold.

Question 14

arctic air masses

Answer 14

formed near the poles and are very cold.

Question 15

maritime tropical air masses

Answer 15

formed in equatorial regions over water and are warm and moist.

Question 15

maritime polar air masses

Answer 15

formed in cold regions over water and are cold and moist.

Question 16

continental tropical air masses

Answer 16

formed in equatorial regions over land and are warm and dry.

Question 17

continental polar air masses

Answer 17

formed in cold regions and over land and are cold and dry.

Question 18

what is a weather front

Answer 18

a weather front is a boundary between two air masses

Question 19

what are common at fronts

Answer 19

Drastic weather: changes in temperature, humidity, cloud type, wind, and precipitation

Question 20

cold front

Answer 20

forms when a colder air mass moves towards a warmer air mass.

Question 21

what is common near a cold front

Answer 21

Showers and Thunderstorms are common along the front. Strong winds and severe weather are common.

Question 22

what happens in a cold front

Answer 22

The cold dense air pushes underneath the warm air causing the warm air to rise.
Water vapor condenses and clouds form.

Question 23

warm front

Answer 23

forms when less dense warm air moves towards colder, denser air.

Question 24

what happens in a warm front

Answer 24

The warm air rises as it glides above the cold air. Water vapor condenses creating a wide blanket of clouds.

Question 25

what is common near a warm front

Answer 25

Showers and steady rain may occur for several hours or even days. Brings warmer temperatures and a shift in wind direction.

Question 26

stationary front

Answer 26

formed when the boundary between two air masses stalls.

Question 27

what happens in a stationary front

Answer 27

Usually create clouds and light rain.

Question 28

occluded fronts

Answer 28

formed when a fast moving cold front catches up with a slow moving warm front.

Question 29

what happens in an occluded front

Answer 29

usually bring precipitation

Question 30

thunderstorm

Answer 30

also known as electrical storms because of their lightning. Are formed when there is warm temperature, moisture, and air rising.

Question 31

A cumulus cloud can grow into a 10km tall cumulonimbus cloud in as little as __ minutes.

Answer 31

30

Question 32

cumulus stage

Answer 32

dominated by cloud formation and updrafts.

Question 33

mature stage

Answer 33

has updrafts, downdrafts, strong winds, heavy rain, and lighting.

Question 34

dissipating stage

Answer 34

Updrafts usually stop within 30 minutes of reaching the mature stage, winds die down, lightning ceases, and precipitation weakens.

Question 35

how does lightening form

Answer 35

Tiny ice crystals inside the cloud crash into each other, creating positively and negatively charged particles. When the positive and negative charges find a pathway to the opposite charge, lightning is formed.

Question 36

how can lightening go

Answer 36

ground-cloud, cloud-ground, and cloud-cloud

Question 37

how many degrees can a lightening bolt be

Answer 37

27,000˙C

Question 38

how is thunder formed

Answer 38

At that temperature air molecules nearby expand and then contract

Question 39

tornado

Answer 39

a violent whirling column of air in contact with the ground.

Question 40

what is the average diameter of a tornado

Answer 40

several 100 meters/ a few football fields

Question 41

tornado wind speeds can reach more than ___ km/hr/ 250mph

Answer 41

400

Question 42

how long does a tornado last

Answer 42

a few minutes to several hours

Question 43

how does a tornado form

Answer 43

when thunderstorm updrafts begin to rotate, swirling winds can begin to spiral downwards creating a funnel cloud. When the funnel cloud reaches the ground a tornado is formed.

Question 44

tornado alley

Answer 44

The region of the central United States from Nebraska to Texas experience the most tornadoes on Earth.

Question 45

ideal conditions for a tornado

Answer 45

Cold air blowing southward from Canada frequently collides with warm, moist air moving northward from the Gulf of Mexico.

Question 46

who developed a method of classifying tornadoes based on the damage they cause.

Answer 46

Dr. Ted Fujita

Question 47

hurricane

Answer 47

an intense tropical storm with winds exceeding 119 km/h.

Question 48

how long is the typical hurricane

Answer 48

480 km across.

Question 49

the typical hurricane conditions

Answer 49

late summer over warm, tropical ocean water.

Question 50

what is at the center of a hurricane

Answer 50

the eye, it has clear skies and light winds

Question 51

what is the main cause of hurricane damage

Answer 51

high winds and flooding

Question 52

when do hurricanes lose power

Answer 52

when they move over land or cold water`

Question 53

other names for hurricane

Answer 53

typhoon or tropical cyclones

Question 54

blizzard

Answer 54

a violent winter storm

Question 55

what is a blizzard characterized by

Answer 55

freezing temperatures, strong wind, and blowing snow. Can reduce visibility, and cause frostbite and hypothermia..

Question 56

what can blizzards cause

Answer 56

reduced visibility, frostbite, and hypothermia

Question 57

what issues weather warnings and watches

Answer 57

National Weater Service

Question 58

severe weather watch

Answer 58

means severe weather is possible

Question 59

severe wea t / {}"