Exam 3 review guide

Question 1

4 Mountain chains from east coast to west?

Answer 1

• Coast Range
• Sierra Nevada
• Wasatch Range
• Rocky Mountains

Question 2

Which Mountain chain receives the most snow annually?

Answer 2

Sierra Nevada

Question 3

3 Physical Reasons why Sierra Nevada gets Most snow?

Answer 3

• Proximity to Ocean
• Elevation
• Steepness of winward slope

Question 4

Which mountain range receves the most rain annually?

Answer 4

Coast range

Question 5

In the winter, why is the 0 degree isotherm higher in the west coast over san fransisco, than over Denver?

Answer 5

The pacific is relatively warm in winter, thus the freezing levels there are higher.

Question 6

What is the name of the type of storms that produce heavy snow in Denver?

Answer 6

Upslopes

Question 7

3 ways Santa Ana winds are different than Chinook Winds?

Answer 7

• Santa Anas blow from east to west, which is opposite the windflow of Chinooks
• Santa Anas are more frequent (events per year) than Chinooks
• Santa Anas are less intense (lower velocity) typically than Chinooks

Question 8

Give 3 weather features that are required for Chinook winds to form.

Answer 8

• An inversion just above mtn top levels (say 600mb). This accelerates the flow, and directs it downward
• Strong surface PGF (high to west, low to east)
• Strong winds at mtn top level (say 700mb)

Question 9

Give 3 factors that determine the temperature of air reaching the leeward base of a mountain in a mountain windstorm.

Answer 9

• Upstream air temperature
• Latent heat adds to air during ascent on windward side
• Adiabatic compression on leeward side

Question 10

Tend to grow far from frontal boundaries

Answer 10

Airmass Storms

Question 11

Always have a mesocyclone (rotating Updraft)

Answer 11

Supercells

Question 12

Tend to occur to the south of a developing extratropical cyclone

Answer 12

Frontal Squall lines

Question 13

Produce the most total Great Plains rainfall in midsummer

Answer 13

Mesoscale Convective Storm

Question 14

Require a pre-existing large scale front to form

Answer 14

Frontal Squall Lines

Question 15

They Do not require a pre-existing large scale front to form

Answer 15

• airmass storms

- Mesoscale Convective Storms

Question 16

Tend to form at frontal boundary intersections

Answer 16

Supercells

Question 17

Have a downdraft that is collected with the updraft

Answer 17

Airmass Storms

Question 18

they Tend to grow in low wind shear environments

Answer 18

• Airmass Storms

- Mesocale Convective Storms

Question 19

They typically have a line of sever storms followed by lighter rain

Answer 19

• Frontal Squall Lines

- Mesoscale Convective Storms

Question 20

Is associated with derechos and bookend vortices

Answer 20

Mesoscale Convective Storms

Question 21

They tend to be most prevelent around mid-may on the great plains

Answer 21

• Frontal Squall Lines

- Supercells

Question 22

They tend to occue in the afternoon or early evening

Answer 22

• Airmass Storms
• Mesoscale Convective Storms
• Supercells
• Frontal Squall Lines

Question 23

Tend to move from SW to NE over the great plains

Answer 23

• Supercells

- Frontal Squall Lines

Question 24

Produce the worlds strongest tornados and largest hail

Answer 24

Supercells

Question 25

Explain how vortex stretching can lead to more rapid rotation in a mesocyclone or tornado. What law governs this effect?

Answer 25

For vortex stretching, mass is constant so the conservation of angular momentum law become

Question 26

Name the 3 theories that we went over in class on how supercells create tornadoes?

Answer 26

• Vortex breakdown of the mesocyclone
• Dynamic pipe effect (top-down approach)
• Stretching of a vortex tube introduced by the rear flank downdraft in the late stages of a
supercell’s updraft.