Meteorology pt 2 test vocab Flashcards

1
Q

an area of low pressure around which the winds flow CCW

A

cyclones

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2
Q

high pressure systems which the winds flow CW

A

anticyclones

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3
Q

small area storms formed by the strong upward movement of warm, moist unstable air

A

thunderstorms

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4
Q

hour long storms that form in warm, moist air masses and occur in spring and summer

A

air-mass thunderstorms

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5
Q

storms that occur in lines along a frontal surface and are stronger and last several hours. produce heavy rain and flooding

A

frontal thunderstorms

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6
Q

a discharge of electricity from a thundercloud to the ground or cloud to cloud

A

lightning

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7
Q

a narrow funnel shaped column of spiral winds that extends downward from the cloud base and touches the ground

A

tornado

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8
Q

a tornado over the water that is weaker than a tornado

A

watersprout

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9
Q

scale used for categorizing tornados

A

fujita scale

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10
Q

an intense tropical storm low-pressure are with sustained winds starting @ 74 mph

A

hurricane

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11
Q

currents formed when hurricane piles water up along the shore and blow it inland

A

storm surge

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12
Q

central area of sinking air; 15-20 km wide

A

eye

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13
Q

threat of storm conditions within 24-36 hours

A

watch

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14
Q

due to strike within 24 hours

A

warning

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15
Q

pressure that the air exerts on the Earth

A

air pressure

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16
Q

instrument used to measure air pressure

A

barometer

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17
Q

warmer, humid weather-predictor of storms

A

falling barometer

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18
Q

cooler, drier weather

A

rising barometer

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19
Q

lines of equal pressure

A

isobar

20
Q

movement of air

A

wind

21
Q

instrument that measures wind speed

A

anemometer

22
Q

instrument that measures win direction

A

wind vane

23
Q

the ultimate energy source for most wind

A

solar radiation

24
Q

definition of wind and ocean currents due to Earths rotation

A

Coriolis effect

25
Q

inertia caused by Earth’s rotation

A

Coriolis force

26
Q

high to low pressure

A

pressure gradient

27
Q

narrow but of strong, high speed air

A

jet stream

28
Q

low to the earth

A

surface winds

29
Q

high above the earth

A

geostrophic winds

30
Q

cold, but weak winds between 50-60 degrees

A

polar easterlies

31
Q

belt of very strong winds between 40-60 degrees (overlap)

A

westerlies

32
Q

warm steady winds between 0-30 degreees

A

trade winds

33
Q

calm, surface winds @ the equator

A

doldrums

34
Q

flow of cool air from water to land during the day

A

Sea breeze

35
Q

flow of cool air from water to land during the night

A

land breeze

36
Q

periodic warming of the ocean that occurs in the central and Eastern pacific

A

El Niño

37
Q

surface temperatures in the eastern pacific are colder than average

A

La Niña

38
Q

graph showing the avg. temp and precipitation, by month, for a specific location

A

climograph

39
Q

a large body of air that has the same temp and humidity throughout

A

air mass

40
Q

small balloon carried observatory which carries a radio transmitter

A

radiosonde

41
Q

boundary between 2 air masses having different temps and humidity

A

air front

42
Q

zone where a cold air mass replaces a warm air mass

A

cold front

43
Q

A transition zone where a a warm air mass replaces a cold air mass

A

warm front

44
Q

occurs when a faster moving cold front has caught up to a slower moving warm front

A

occluded front

45
Q

front is stalled

A

stationary front