Weather Partial Test Bank

An air mass which originates over the north Pacific ocean will be a(n): (a) mT; (b) cT; (c) mP; (d) cP; (e) mE.

A hot and moist air mass would BEST be a(n): (a) mE; (b) mT; (c) mP; (d) cT; (e) cP.

The air masses that have the greatest effect on weather conditions in West Virginia are: (a) cP and mT; (b) mP and cT; (c) cT and cP; (d) mP and A; (e) mT and cT.

Which explanation BEST explains the weather if temperatures rise after a day of slow, steady precipitation? (a) the area has remained under the influence of high pressure; (b) a cold front has just passed; (c) a warm front has just passed; (d) the area has remained under the influence of an mT air mass; (e) a tropical cyclone has just passed.

A line with triangles attached is the symbol for a(n): (a) occluded front; (b) stationary front; (c) warm front; (d) cold front; (e) hurricane.

A line with semicircles attached is the symbol for a(n): (a) occluded front; (b) stationary front; (c) warm front; (d) cold front; (e) hurricane.

A line with alternating triangles and semicircles on the same side is the symbol for a(n): (a) occluded front; (b) stationary front; (c) warm front; (d) cold front; (e) hurricane.

A line with triangles on one side and semicircles on the other side is the symbol for a(n): (a) occluded front'; (b) stationary front; (c) warm front; (d) cold front; (e) hurricane.

Rising atmospheric pressure usually forewarns of: (a) clear weather; (b) a heat wave; (c) a drought; (d) fog; (e) a storm.

The front BEST characterized by thunderstorms is the: (a) stationary front; (b) occluded front; (c) anticyclone; (d) warm front; (e) cold front.

A hurricane is also known as a(n): (a) anticyclone; (b) tropical cyclone; (c) warm front; (d) middle latitude cyclone; (e) tsunami.

The stage of a thunderstorm when precipitation ceases and the cloud has the best anvil shape is the: (a) stratiform; (b) cumulus; (c) mature; (d) dissipating; (e) rainshadow.

The air mass in North America which is bound to be associated with the coldest air is: (a) mP; (b) cP; (c) mT; (d) cA; (e) cT.

The air mass BEST identified as moist and cool is: (a) mC; (b) cP; (c) mP; (d) mA; (e) cE.

The air mass BEST identified as warm and moist is: (a) mT; (b) cP; (c) mP; (d) cT; (e) mE.

The air mass BEST identified as very cold and dry is: (a) mP; (b) cT; (c) mT; (d) cA; (e) cP.

The air mass BEST identified as cool and dry is: (a) cT; (b) cP; (c) mE; (d) mP; (e) cA.

The air mass BEST identified as hot and moist is: (a) mT; (b) cT; (c) cA; (d) mE; (e) mP.

The air mass BEST identified as warm and dry is: (a) mT; (b) cP; (c) cA; (d) mE; (e) cT.

The air mass which is the main source of precipitation in the midwestern U.S. is: (a) cT; (b) mP; (c) mT; (d) cP; (e) cA.

The air mass which dominates the weather of the north Pacific coast of the United States is: (a) mP; (b) cA; (c) cT; (d) mE; (e) cP.

Air mass source regions in Canada may influence the weather in the U.S. because: (a) the air being less dense is able to rise to these elevations; (b) a south flowing jet stream continually moves the air; (c) there are no topographic barriers; (d) there are no air mass source regions in the U.S.; (e) ALL of these combined.

The front generally characterized by little warning, a steep blunt nose, and thunderstorms is a(n): (a) warm front; (b) cold front; (c) stationary front; (d) occluded front; (e) ALL of these.

Winter cyclones compared to summer ones: (a) move slower; (b) are less frequent; (c) are better developed; (d) are ALL of these; (e) are NONE of these.

The fastest moving portion of a middle latitude cyclone is the: (a) eye; (b) occluded front; (c) stationary front; (d) warm front; (e) cold front.

The area immediately behind a cold front frequently: (a) suffers occlusion; (b) is often foggy; (c) is usually quite dry; (d) would normally receive convective precipitation; (e) experiences falling temperatures and rising pressure.

In an extratropical cyclone, the time of most intense precipitation is likely to be: (a) just after the storm is born; (b) whenever the storm passes over an ocean; (c) when the warm front moves faster than the cold front; (d) just after occlusion begins; (e) just after dissipation.

Upon awakening one morning in Frostburg, Maryland, you notice that the sky is clear but temperatures are well below freezing and humidity is low. The weather is MOST likely the result of: (a) mT air from the Gulf of Mexico; (b) mP air from the north Pacific; (c) cT air from the southwestern U.S.; (d) mA air from the north pole; (e) cP air from northern Canada.

If a mature middle latitude cyclone passes over a location in the U.S. with the center to the north of the location, the winds would most likely change from: (a) SE to SW to NW; (b) NE to N to NW; (c) SW to SE to NE; (d) N to S to W; (e) E to W to NE.

The stage in the development of a thunderstorm characterized by strong downdrafts, wind blown top, and light to no precipitation is the: (a) aneroid; (b) dissipating; (c) cumulus; (d) mature; (e) early.

The BEST COMPLETE description of a tornado WATCH is that: (a) it is when a tornado is being viewed on the ground; (b) a report about the first tornado from a storm has not yet been received; (c) no tornadoes have occurred but the air is sufficiently unstable; (d) more tornadoes are expected to develop from a storm; (e) a neighboring county is under a tornado warning.

Which of the following lists the storms from largest to smallest in size? (a) hurricane, middle latitude cyclone, tornado; (b) hurricane, tornado, middle latitude cyclone; (c) tornado, middle latitude cyclone, hurricane; (d) middle latitude cyclone, tornado, hurricane; (e) middle latitude cyclone, hurricane, tornado.

If a mature middle latitude cyclone passes over a location in the U.S. with the center to the south of the location, the winds would most likely change from: (a) SE to SW to NW; (b) NE to N to NW; (c) SW to SE to NE; (d) N to S to W; (e) E to W to NE.

A tornado WATCH is changed to a tornado WARNING when: (a) radar indicates a hook or converging air movement; (b) the first tornado from a storm is reported; (c) unstable air is identified; (d) a tornado occurs; (e) EITHER A or B above.

When the first tornado is produced by a storm, the condition in effect is usually a tornado: (a) watch; (b) warning; (c) alert; (d) notice; (e) bulletin.

On a weather map, the symbol above at A  indicates: (a) a warm front moving north; (b) a cold front moving south; (c) a stationary front with warm air on the south side; (d) a stationary front with cold air on the south side; (e) an occluded front.

On a weather map, the symbol above at B indicates: (a) a warm front moving north; (b) front moving south; (c) a stationary front with warm air on the south side; (d) a stationary front with cold air on the south side; (e) an occluded front.

On a weather map, the symbol above at C indicates: (a) a warm front moving north; (b) a cold front moving south; (c) a stationary front with warm air on the south side; (d) a stationary front with cold air on the south side; (e) an occluded front.

On a weather map, the symbol above at D indicates: (a) a warm front moving north; (b) a cold front moving south; (c) a stationary front with warm air on the south side; (d) a stationary front with cold air on the south side; (e) an occluded front.

On a weather map, the symbol above at E indicates: (a) a warm front moving north; (b) a cold front moving south; (c) a stationary front with warm air on the south side; (d) a stationary front with cold air on the south side; (e) an occluded front.

In the United States, a middle latitude cyclone generally moves from: (a) north to south; (b) southeast to northwest; (c) west to east; (d) high pressure to low pressure; (e) any direction.

Which explanation BEST explains the weather if temperatures drop markedly after a short period of heavy precipitation? (a) the area has remained under the influence of high pressure; (b) a cold front has just passed; (c) a warm front has just passed; (d) the area has remained under the influence of a cP air mass; (e) a tropical cyclone has just passed.

A source region for continental polar air is located in: (a) northern Mexico; (b) the north Atlantic; (c) Canada; (d) the Gulf of Mexico; (e) the area around the north pole.

Falling atmospheric pressure usually forewarns of: (a) clear weather; (b) a heat wave; (c) a drought; (d) fog; (e) a storm.

Which of the following does NOT correctly describe a middle latitude cyclone? (a) a warm front overtakes a cold front; (b) the winds produce a counterclockwise whirl in the northern hemisphere; (c) an occluded front lifts the warm air off the ground; (d) latent heat intensifies the low and increases the strength; (e) it dies out when the warm air is forced aloft.

The mature stage of a thunderstorm is characterized by: (a) strong updrafts and downdrafts; (b) lack of electrical charges; (c) end of precipitation; (d) lack of ice crystals; (e) anvil shaped cloud.

The air mass which is characteristically warm and dry is: (a) cT; (b) mP; (c) cP; (d) mT; (e) BOTH A and B above.

A cold front is characterized by: (a) a forewarning cloud sequence; (b) thunderstorms; (c) precipitation long before the front; (d) rain ceases soon after the front; (e) ALL of these.

Which of the following is true concerning the passage of a front? (a) temperature changes; (b) winds shift; (c) barometric pressure changes; (d) wind velocity changes; (e) ALL of these occur.

Hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms are similar in that they: (a) originate in fronts; (b) depend on latent heat of condensation for energy; (c) develop as a result of strong jet stream winds; (d) are always associated with orographic lifting of air; (e) are predictable in their paths and occurrences.

Middle latitude cyclones compared to hurricanes: (a) are more intense; (b) have a smaller pressure gradient; (c) are smaller; (d) have a lower pressure; (e) involve one air mass.

Clear, dry, and calm conditions are most likely to occur most of the time in: (a) the belt of the westerlies; (b) the equatorial low; (c) cyclonic systems; (d) the subtropical highs; (e) a mT air mass.

The southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico is the source region for air masses which are: (a) mT; (b) mP; (c) cP; (d) cT; (e) E.

The theoretical term used to estimate the maximum loss of moisture through evaporation and transpiration is: (a) latent heat of sublimation; (b) sublimation decline; (c) actual evapotranspiration; (d) potential evapotranspiration; (e) hydraulic plucking.

A line of thunderstorms that may develop as a pseudo-cold front develops in advance of a cold front is BEST called a(n): (a) Rossby wave; (b) storm surge; (c) squall line; (d) isohyet line; (e) capillary fringe.

Record-setting cold temperatures often result in the Midwest from intrusions of: (a) cE air; (b) mP air; (c) cP air; (d) cA air; (e) mT air.

The path of movement of a middle latitude cyclone is BEST called the: (a) storm surge; (b) squall line; (c) polar front; (d) rime; (e) storm track.

A veering wind shift should be expected when: (a) air mass weather dominates; (b) the center of a middle latitude cyclone passes to the north of a location; (c) the center of a middle latitude cyclone passes to the south of a location; (d) the air moves vertically because of orographic lifting; (e) it reaches the intertropical convergence zone.

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