Exam 9: Weather Forecasting

The most widely separated surface weather observations come from what region on the earth?

Continental polar air associated with a wintertime high pressure area will likely bring ____.

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. A comma-shaped cloud above a low-pressure storm system indicates that the storm is DISSIPATING | DEEPENING.

Exhibit 9-1 The following questions refer to the above illustration of a mid-latitude cyclone (the dashed lines show the positions of the fronts 6 hours ago). Consider the accompanying figure. At which of the four positions would you expect to hear the following 12-hour forecast?

Low pressure systems tend to move toward the region of greatest ____.

Low-pressure areas tend to ____ before occluding and ____ after occluding.

Forecasting large-scale weather events several days in advance is ____.

If a mid-latitude cyclonic storm has moved from the southwest toward the northeast during the past six hours, the storm is likely to move toward the ____ during the next six hours.

Probability forecasts use climatological data that are typically averaged over ___ years.

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. The halo around the moon (or sun) is caused by the bending of light as it passes through ice crystals in CIRROSTRATUS | CUMULUS clouds.

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. Small errors in weather observations generally AMPLIFY | DIMINISH as computers predict weather farther and farther into the future

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. If you wanted to examine the location of ridges, troughs, and short waves in the atmosphere, which forecast chart would you use? SURFACE MAP | 500-MB

What are a set of mathematical equations that approximate how atmospheric temperature, pressure, winds, and moisture vary with time?

Large-scale computer models would typically have ____ grid spacing compared to small-scale models.

A downslope wind coming off a mountain will ____ in a nearby city affected by a strong polar high-pressure system.

A nowcast is a weather forecast that extends for ____.

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. Forecasting large scale weather events is MORE | LESS accurate than smaller, shorter-lived events.

Surface pressure systems tend to move ____ the wind at the 500-mb level.

The general area where a tornado is likely to form can often be predicted ____.

Exhibit 9-1 The following questions refer to the above illustration of a mid-latitude cyclone (the dashed lines show the positions of the fronts 6 hours ago). Consider the accompanying figure. At which of the four positions would you expect to hear the following 12-hour forecast?