Meteorology

Question 1

What is a front?

Answer 1

The boundary between 2 air masses.

Question 2

What is a cold front and what kind of weather might you expect?

Answer 2

A boundary separating a mass of cold air from a warmer air mass, resulting in strong winds, precipitation, and temperature drops.

Question 3

What kind of weather is typically associated with cold fronts?

Answer 3

• Thunderstorms
• Rain showers
• Hail
• Tornadoes

Question 4

What is a warm front and what kind of weather might you expect?

Answer 4

A transition zone where a warm air mass replaces a cooler air mass, producing gradual changes in weather conditions.

Question 5

What kind of weather is typically associated with warm fronts?

Answer 5

• Steady precipitation
• Rain
• Snow
• Stratiform clouds

Question 6

What is an occluded front?

Answer 6

Occurs when a fast-moving cold front overtakes a slower-moving warm front, creating a mix of weather characteristics.

Question 7

What is a stationary front?

Answer 7

Occurs when two air masses meet but neither is strong enough to displace the other, leading to prolonged cloudy and unsettled weather.

Question 8

What is a dry line?

Answer 8

A boundary separating a warm, dry air mass from a warm, moist air mass, often triggering thunderstorms.

Question 9

What is a TROF?

Answer 9

Trough – an elongated line of low pressure.

Question 10

What is a RIDGE?

Answer 10

An elongated area of high pressure.

Question 11

What does ISA mean?

Answer 11

International Standard Atmosphere.

Question 12

What is the standard temperature at sea level according to ISA?

Answer 12

15 C.

Question 13

What is the standard pressure according to ISA?

Answer 13

29.92 Hg, 1013.2 mb.

Question 14

What is the standard temperature lapse rate?

Answer 14

-2 degrees/ 1,000 feet elevation gain.

Question 15

What is RVR?

Answer 15

Runway Visual Range, used when visibility is 1/2 mile or less.

Question 16

What is an isobar?

Answer 16

An equal line of pressure.

Question 17

What does closely spaced isobars indicate?

Answer 17

A tight pressure gradient causing high and gusting winds.

Question 18

What is an isotherm?

Answer 18

An equal line of temperature.

Question 19

What is an isotach?

Answer 19

An equal line of wind speed.

Question 20

What is the primary cause of weather on Earth?

Answer 20

The uneven heating of the atmosphere by the Sun.

Question 21

What is the Coriolis effect?

Answer 21

A phenomenon causing moving objects to appear to curve due to Earth’s rotation.

Question 22

What is High Pressure in terms of weather?

Answer 22

An area of relatively higher atmospheric pressure at the Earth’s surface.

Question 23

What weather conditions are associated with high pressure?

Answer 23

• Clear skies
• Light winds
• Dry weather

Question 24

What is low pressure in terms of weather?

Answer 24

An area of relatively lower atmospheric pressure at the Earth’s surface.

Question 25

What weather conditions are associated with low pressure?

Answer 25

* Cloudiness * Rain * Thunderstorms

Question 26

What part of the atmosphere does most weather occur?

Answer 26

Within the troposphere.

Question 27

Where is the Earth’s atmosphere thickest?

Answer 27

Near the equator.

Question 28

What is the Jet Stream?

Answer 28

A narrow, fast-moving stream of air with wind speeds reaching 50 knots or more.

Question 29

Where is the jet stream typically found?

Answer 29

In breaks in the tropopause.

Question 30

What is considered stable air?

Answer 30

Air that resists vertical movement and suppresses cloud formation.

Question 31

What happens when air rises?

Answer 31

It expands due to the decrease in air pressure.

Question 32

What is a temperature inversion?

Answer 32

A rise in temperature as altitude increases, contrary to normal conditions.

Question 33

How many types of fog are there and what are their characteristics?

Answer 33

* Radiation: Forms when the ground cools rapidly at night. * Advection: Occurs when warm, moist air moves over a colder surface. * Upslope: Forms when moist air is forced to rise up sloping terrain.

Question 34

How thick must a cloud be for precipitation to form?

Answer 34

4,000 ft.

Question 35

What are the 3 ingredients of a thunderstorm?

Answer 35

* Uplifting action * Unstable air * Moisture

Question 36

What are the 3 stages of a thunderstorm?

Answer 36

* Cumulus * Mature * Dissipating

Question 37

What are the 2 types of thunderstorms?

Answer 37

* Air Mass * Steady State

Question 38

What kind of clouds characterize a thunderstorm?

Answer 38

Cumulonimbus.

Question 39

What is a squall line?

Answer 39

A line of severe thunderstorms that form along or ahead of a cold front.

Question 40

What are embedded thunderstorms?

Answer 40

Individual thunderstorms within a larger area of widespread precipitation.

Question 41

What is windshear?

Answer 41

A sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short distance.

Question 42

Where are the three most common locations you might find windshear?

Answer 42

* Thunderstorms * Jet streams * Temperature inversions

Question 43

What is a microburst?

Answer 43

A strong sudden downdraft reaching up to 6,000 ft per minute.

Question 44

What is a squall?

Answer 44

A sudden, brief burst of strong wind accompanied by rain or snow.

Question 45

Can you ever dispatch a flight into icing?

Answer 45

Yes, but never Severe.

Question 46

What conditions must exist to form ice?

Answer 46

Temperatures below 10C and visible moisture.

Question 47

What are the three types of icing and their characteristics?

Answer 47

* Clear: Forms from supercooled droplets freezing on impact. * Rime: Forms when supercooled droplets freeze rapidly. * Mixed: A combination of clear and rime ice.

Question 48

What is CAT?

Answer 48

Clear Air Turbulence, occurring in cloudless skies, often at high altitudes.

Question 49

What is a Hurricane?

Answer 49

A powerful tropical storm with strong winds and heavy rain, forming over warm ocean waters.

Question 50

What is EWINS?

Answer 50

An Enhanced Weather Information System used to collect and share aviation weather data.

Question 51

What is a SIGMET?

Answer 51

A weather advisory for significant weather phenomena affecting aviation safety.

Question 52

What is an AIRMET?

Answer 52

A weather advisory alerting pilots to potentially hazardous weather for small aircraft.