Chapter 20 Test Review Place these notes into your Meteorology Notebook

A tornado’s funnel cloud results when the air sucked into the funnel expands and cools. A maritime tropical air mass would cause a hot, humid spell in the northeastern United States during the summer. The radiosonde contains a thermometer, hygrometer, and a psychrometer. When a cold front passes, the wind changes direction. Continental tropical (cT) air masses can be characterized by hot and dry air.

Maritime Tropical (mT) –Originates over the tropical oceans –Warm and Moist Continental Polar (cP) –Originates over high latitude continents (about 60 degrees north) –Cold and dry Maritime Polar (mP) –Originates over mid to high latitude oceans. –Cool and moist

MARITIME TROPICAL (MT) CONTINENTAL POLAR (CP) MARITIME POLAR (MP) A maritime tropical air mass would cause a hot, humid spell in the northeastern United States during the summer.

A front is a boundary between two air masses. A stationary front is a front that does not move. Continental arctic (cA) air masses can be characterized by cold and dry air. Cold fronts usually move more quickly than warm fronts. During an occluded front, a cold front overtakes a warm front. The approach of a warm front usually involves the appearance of cirrus clouds.

Warm Front – Cold Front – Stationary Front – Occluded Front --

In the Northern Hemisphere winds blow counterclockwise around low-pressure areas. It takes approximately 4 days for a typical mid-latitude low to move through its life cycle. A trough in an upper-air flow may cause sinking air to increase the air pressure at Earth’s surface. Thunderstorms often occur in the afternoon because surface warming throughout the day causes unstable conditions in the troposphere.

When an air mass first moves into a new region the air mass has the characteristics of its place of origin. Hurricanes often weaken over land because they no longer have a source of humid air to provide heat from condensation. A blizzard is determined by its wind speed, temperature, and the visibility through the air.

Infrared satellites use temperature measurements to create images. A front is located by a forecaster using the following: Changes in wind direction Temperature changes Dew point changes

Label each type of front shown in the diagram of a low pressure system. Draw an arrow showing the direction the wind is blowing at point B. Would you expect the surface temperature to be warmer at point C or at point D? Occluded Front Cold Front Warm Front The wind at point B is blowing roughly toward point C. The temperature is warmer at point C than at point D.

Why do cirrus clouds often precede the arrival of a warm front? Why do cirrus clouds arrive before other clouds as the front approaches? As the warm air approaches, it slides up over the cold air mass ahead of it and cools, forming clouds. The farthest forward clouds are the highest up, so the first clouds you see are cirrus clouds.

In what ways are tornadoes and hurricanes similar? What are the major differences between these types of storms? Similarities: Both are violent storms that can cause great damage. Both are associated with cumulonimbus clouds and potentially heavy rains.

Differences: Tornadoes are much smaller. Tornadoes generally originate over land. Tornadoes can be hard to recognize. Tornadoes can have much higher wind speeds. Hurricanes develop more slowly. Hurricanes last much longer (days vs. minutes) Hurricanes get their energy from warm water at the ocean’s surface.