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Meteorology Flashcards

Learn some mafuckin met (75 cards)

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1
Q

State height of tropopause at equator, mid latitudes and poles during summer and winter

A

Equator 55000, 57000

30* 53000, 55000

60* 35000, 30000

South Pole 32000, 28000

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2
Q

State % nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and argon in atmosphere and all other gases combined

A

N2 78.08%

O2 20.94%

Argon 0.934%

CO2 0.03%

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3
Q

Wind speed when wind sock angle at:

A

90 - 25+ kts
75 - 22 kts
45 - 15 kts
30 - 8 kts

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4
Q

State main factors that determine if the air is stable or unstable

A

Temperature lapse rate

The adiabatic lapse rate

Super adiabatic lapse rate greater than 3*/1000ft

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5
Q

State some features of stable air in terms of visibility, cloud type and precipitation if any

A

Fair to poor visibility

Layer type cloud if present

Light rain or showers

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6
Q

State some features of unstable air in terms of visibility, cloud type, precipitation

A

Cumulus type cloud, moderate to heavy rain, visibility typically good

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7
Q

How much energy (heat) is gained or lost from the air during adiabatic process?

A

None

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8
Q

When the surface heats, does it cause stability or instability?

A

Instability

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9
Q

What does katabatic mean?

A

To go down

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10
Q

What does anabatic mean?

A

To go up

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11
Q

Define gust

A

Momentary increases in wind speed

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12
Q

Defines squalls

A

Rapid increases in wind speed which can last for some minutes, then die away again

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13
Q

What are mountain waves also known as?

A

Lee waves or standing waves

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14
Q

What are the prerequisites for mountain waves?

A

Substantial mountain range

Wind at roughly 90* to mountain range

Low level wind at 15 kt and increases w height

A generally unstable atmosphere at low levels and a stable layer w altitude

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15
Q

Define the föhn wind

A

High moisture content of approaching air.
Wind blowing ~90* to mountain range
Precipitation very likely

Warm, dry wind blowing off the Lee side of a mountain side

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16
Q

What does a radiosonde measure?

A

Temperature
Humidity
Pressure
Wind speed

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17
Q

State the diurnal variation of pressure

A

Maximum pressure 1000 and 2200

Minimum pressure 0400 and 1600

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18
Q

Describe development of sea breezes with reference to:

Horizontal and vertical limits around nz
Timing of the occurance,
Average strength of the sea breeze,
Associated cloud and precipitation,
Associated turbulence .
A

25-40 km horizontally, 2-3000 ft vertically
Sets in around 1000, peaks 1500, ceases before sunset
Wind Speed 10-15 knots
Fair weather cumulus with some turbulence. Precipitation depends on degree of hearing and supply of moisture

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19
Q

Describe conditions before, during, after an idealised cold front.

A

Pressure: Before: Decrease. During: arrest or fall. After: increase

Temperature: Before: warm. During: Decrease. After: cold

Wind: Before: veer, increase. During: Sudden backing, squall. After: Steady direction

Cloud: Before: CS or AS. During: CU, CB, NS. After: rapid clearance, isolated CU and CB.

Precipitation: Before: not common During: Showers, possibly heavy maybe hail. After: showers ease, then isolated

Visibility: Before: fair to good. During: very poor. After: very good, reduced in showers.

Dew point: Before: no change. During: increase. After: lower than DP before front.

RH: before: no change. During: increase. After: lower than before front.

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20
Q

State strenghth of katabatic winds

A

Up to 8 knots. More depending on slope of mountain

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21
Q

Define QNH, QNE, QFE

A

QFE: atmospheric pressure over aerodrone. Reads zerobon landing

QNH: altimeter subscale set to obtain ground elevation. Reads altitude above sea level

QNE set to 1013. Pressure altitude. Used for flight levels

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22
Q

State factors that hinder escape of terrestial radition

A

Water vapour
Cloud
CO2
O3

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23
Q

State maritime and continental yearly temperature variation

A

Cont. More 20*

Maritime 10-20

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24
Q

Name the two main factors that determine whether evaporation exceeds rate of condensation.

A

Temperature of surface water

Vapour pressure of air around the liquid

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25
Name 4 factors which also influence rate of condensation
1. Temperature of air - Warmer = more evaporation 2. More water in air = greater vapour pressure = less condensation 3. Wind. Stronger wind = more evaporation 4. Total atmospheric pressure. Higher pressure = less evaporation
26
Define relative humidity
Amount of water vapour in air expressed as a % amount needed for saturation at the same temperature
27
Define sublimation
When ice changes states directly to water vapour. Latent heat required
28
Define deposition
When water vapour changes states directly to ice. Latent heat released
29
Cloud initially associated with a turbulence inversion is likely to be ....... Which often changes to ........ When more intense mixing occurs
Stratiform, stratocumulus
30
When cloud has formed, the air inside the cloud (is/is not) fully saturated and quantities of water vapour in cloud (are no longer/are still) present
Is, are still
31
The most common method for water vapour to change into liquid water is through ... Of air, which is most commonly achieved by (lifting/lowering) of air so that the ... Process will (reduce/increase) the temperature if air
Cooling, lifting adiabatic, reduce
32
When orographic stratiform cloud envelops a hill or mountain, the ELR is (less/more) the 1.5*C/1000ft and when cumulus is seen with a base higher than mountain height, the ELR is (less/more) than ... *C/1000ft
Less, more, 3
33
The term intermittent precipitation (can/cannot) be used with stratiform cloud
Can
34
Continuous precipitation implies a (thick/thin) layer of cloud which (is/is not) likely to clear in the short term
Thick, is not
35
Define light, moderate and heavy precipitation
Light - under 2.5mm/hour Moderate - 2.5- 7.6mm/hour Heavy - more than 7.6mm/hour
36
State the 'before, at and after' of an ideal warm front
Pressure: Before: decrease. At: arrest or fall. After: steady or slight rise. Temp. Before: steady or slight decrease due to precipitation. At: increase. After: little change Wind. Before: veer and slight increase. At: backing. After: steady in direction and speed. Cloud. Before: CI, CS, AS, NS, patches ST, SC. Maybe CU, CB. At: ST, NS. Maybe CU, CB. After. No high level, maybe low-level Precipitation. Before. Light turning persistent heavy. At. Rain ceases maybe drizzle. After. Occ rain or drizzle Vis. Before. Good, poor in rain. At. Very poor. After. Fair, poor in precipitation. Dew point. Before. Slight increase. At. Steady. After. Higher than before warm front. R/H. Before. Increase. At. Very high. After. Higher than before warm front.
37
Define light, moderate, server and extreme weather
Light: Occasional movement along all 3 axis. Little passenger discomfort. Walking through cabin possible. Loose objects don't move. No difficulty maintaining control. Moderate: Severe movement along 3 axis. General passenger discomfort. Walking through cabin difficult. Loowe objects slide along floor. Altitude, direction generally maintained. Servere: Abrupt, large movements about 3 axis. Pilot control frequently (but briefly) lost. Passenger discomfort marked - tossed against seatbelts. Walking through cabin almost impossible. Loose objects thrown about. Extreme: Frequent and prolonged periods where aircraft not in control - Altitude and direction not constantly maintained. Passengers severe discomfort - violently thrown about. Walking through cabin impossible. Items that break loose may cause structural damage.
38
When subscale changed to a value mess then QNH (subscale turned down), how will it read?
Lower than actual height
39
State equinox dates
22 March and 22 September
40
How does fog it mist affect visibility?
Fog reduces vis distance to below 1000m. Mist reduces vis distance to between 1km and 5km
41
What is meant by the bouyancy of air?
The force that suspends cloud droplets in the air and prevents them from sinking.
42
Describe neutral, positive and negative ENSO indexes
Neutral index when pressure in Darwin is slightly less than in Tahiti Positive index when pressure in Darwin much less than in Tahiti -- La Nina Negative index when pressure in Darwin greater than in Tahiti -- El Nino
43
Slant range is:
A decreases in visibility when looking through a layer of mist or fog when on approach due to the oblique approach angle
44
In the lower standard atmosphere, temp and lapse rates:
Temperature lapse rate is steady. Pressure lapse rate decreases
45
What happens to relative humidity and dew point when temperature increases?
RH will decrease and DP will be unchanged
46
Pascal is a measurement of
Pressure. Not barometric pressure
47
Polar maritime air moving towards warmer regions tends to become more:
Unstable
48
An occluded front is likely to be associated with?
A wave depression
49
State surface heating/cooling requirements and times if dispersal for stratocumulus and fair weather cumulus
Stratocumulus: surface heating, disappears mid morning Fair weather cumulus: needs surface cooling, disappears late afternoon
50
Prevailing visibility in METARS and SPECI relates to:
Horizontal distance an object can be seen by day
51
When encountering wind shear on approach to land what will happen to RoC and airspeed? What is corrective action?
Rate of descent will increase and airspeed will decrease. Corrective action is to lower the nose and increase power
52
What is an extra tropical depression?
A depression that is formed in the tropics and then moves out of the tropics
53
Dew point is:
Temperature at which the air becomes saturated
54
What happens to pressure, temperature and density with increasing height?
Pressure reduces, temperature reduces and density reduces at a slightly reduced rate
55
The isobars on a meteorological synoptic surface weather chart read:
Station pressure reduced to sea level and the 2000 ft wind
56
Will a motor perform better or worse in humid conditions? Why?
Worse, because Humid air is less dess than dry air.
57
When is slant range greatest?
When viewing object through greatest angle of fog -- on final approach
58
A general indication of the likelihood of the formation of fog can be gained by checking what?
The relationship between the ambient temperature and dew point
59
After a passage of a cold front, the visibility will be:
Very good, but reduced in showers
60
How d o warm and cold fronts travel?
Cold: average 15 knots Warm: 10 knots
61
State Speed of polar and sub tropical jet streams
Polar -- 70 knots Sub tropical -- 100 knots
62
What stage if a tropical cyclone are characterised by winds reaching hurricane force within 50 km of the radius?
Immature stage Mature stage winds hurricane force (64kt) within 200km of radius
63
Are cold pools associated with stability or instability?
Instability
64
With equal isobar spacing, will wind be faster around a high pressure or low pressure?
High pressure due to the Coriolis effect
65
What are the two main types of satellite imagery?
Visible and infra red images
66
AIREPs are required to be made by;
Controller Pilot Data Link Communications equipped aircraft only
67
The humidity measurement in a radiosonde;
Often uses a small capacitor with a lithium chloride element. Humidity measured by electrical resistance between two plates
68
The subtropical Jetstream is located:
Above the subtropical highs
69
With regard to rossby waves, air that is forced to ascend tends to turn to the ... Inducing a ... Pattern to the upper level westerlies in the northern hemisphere
Right, ridge,
70
Regarding polar depressions, what happens to the general flow when a southerly or southwesterly jet stream moves a lower trough?
The general flow begins to slow rapidly downstream of the trough line
71
Describe how air moves in a warm frontal occlusion
Air behind the advancing cold front can be warmer than the cold air it is over taking
72
What is graupel?
Precipitation that forms when supercooled droplets of water condense on a snowflake. Forms small ball if time ice - around 2.5 mm diameter
73
What is the transfer of energy in or out of an object because of temperature differences between that object and it's surroundings ?
Heat
74
At what temperature do significant numbers of ice nuclei activate?
-12 to -15
75
What does La Nina mean for NZ conditions?
Wet conditions

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