CHAPTER 9

1. What is the function of the National Center for Environmental Prediction?

2. How does a weather watch differ from a weather warning?

3. How does a prog differ from an analysis?

4. In what ways have high-speed computers assisted the meteorologist in making weather forecasts?

5. How are computer-generated weather forecasts prepared?

6. What are some of the problems associated with computer model forecasts?

7. List some of the tools a weather forecaster uses when making a forecast.

8. How do geostationary satellites differ from polar-orbiting satellites?

9. (a) Explain how satellites aid in forecasting the weather. (b) Using infrared satellite information, how
can a forecaster distinguish high clouds from low clouds? (c) Why is it often necessary to enhance
infrared satellite images?

10. List four methods of forecasting the weather and give an example for each one.

11. Suppose that where you live, the middle of January is typically several degrees warmer than the rest
of the month. If you forecast this “January thaw” for the middle of next January, what type of weather
forecast will you have made?

12. (a) Look out the window and make a persistence forecast for tomorrow at this time.

(b) Did you use any skill in making this prediction?

13. Do extended weather forecasts make specific predictions of rain or snow? Explain.

14. Describe the technique of ensemble forecasting.

15. If today’s weather forecast calls for a “chance of snow,”what is the percentage probability that it will
snow today? (Hint: See Table 9.1, p. 240.)

16. Do all accurate forecasts show skill on the part of the forecaster? Explain.

17. List three methods that you would use to predict the movement of a surface mid-latitude cyclonic
storm.

CHAPTER 10

1. What is a thunderstorm?

2. Describe the stages of development of an ordinary (air-mass) thunderstorm.

3. How do downdrafts form in thunderstorms?

4. Why do ordinary thunderstorms most frequently form in the afternoon?

5. What atmospheric conditions are necessary for the development of an ordinary thunderstorm?

6. (a) What are gust fronts and how do they form? (b) If a gust front passes, what kind of weather will
you experience?
7. (a) Describe how a microburst forms.

(b) Why is the term wind shear often used in conjunction with a microburst?

8. Why are severe thunderstorms not very common in polar latitudes?

9. Give a possible explanation for the generation of prefrontal squall-line thunderstorms.

10. What do thunderstorms tend to do when they produce devastating flash floods?

11. What is a Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC)?

12. Where does the highest frequency of thunderstorms occur in the United States? Why there?

13. Why is large hail more common in Kansas than in Florida?

14. Explain how a cloud-to-ground lightning stroke develops.

15. How is thunder produced?

16. If you see lightning and ten seconds later you hear thunder, how far away is the lightning stroke?

17. Why is it unwise to seek shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm?

18. What is a tornado?

19. List the major characteristics of tornadoes, including their size, wind speed, and direction of
movement.

20. How does a tornado watch differ from a tornado warning?

21. Why is it suggested that one not open windows when a tornado is approaching?

22. Explain why the central part of the United States is more susceptible to tornadoes than any other
region of the world.

23. Describe the atmospheric conditions at the surface and aloft that are necessary for the development
of the majority of tornado-spawning thunderstorms.

24. Describe how Doppler radar measures the winds inside a severe thunderstorm.

25. Explain both how and why there is a shift in tornado activity from winter to summer within the
continental United States.

26. What atmospheric conditions lead to the formation of “fair weather” waterspouts?

Chapter 11

1. What is a tropical (easterly) wave? How do these waves generally move in the Northern Hemisphere?
Are showers found on the eastern or western side of the wave?

2. Why are streamlines, rather than isobars, used on surface weather maps in the tropics?

3. What is the name given to a hurricane-like storm that forms over the western North Pacific Ocean?

4. Describe the horizontal and vertical structure of a hurricane.

5. Why are skies often clear or partly cloudy in a hurricane’s eye?

6. What conditions at the surface and aloft are necessary for hurricane development?
7. (a) Describe the formation of a hurricane using the organized convection theory.

(b) In this theory, where do hurricanes derive their energy?

8. (a) Hurricanes are sometimes described as a heat engine. According to this model, what is the “fuel”

that drives the hurricane?

(b) In this model, what determines the maximum strength (the highest winds) that the storm can

achieve?

9. If a hurricane is moving westward at 10 knots, will the strongest winds be on its northern or southern

side? Explain. If the same hurricane turns northward, will the strongest winds be on its eastern or
western side?

10. What factors tend to weaken hurricanes?

11. Distinguish among a tropical disturbance, a tropical depression, a tropical storm, and a hurricane.

12. In what ways is a hurricane different from a mid-latitude cyclone? In what ways are these two
systems similar?

13. Why do most hurricanes move westward over tropical waters?

14. If the high winds of a hurricane are not responsible for inflicting the most damage, what is?

15. Explain how a storm surge forms. How does it inflict damage in hurricane-prone areas?

16. (a) What are spin-up vortices?

(b) How are they related to areas of extreme damage caused by Hurricane Andrew?

17. Hurricanes are given names when the storm is in what stage of development?

18. How does a hurricane watch differ from a hurricane warning?

19. Why have hurricanes been seeded with silver iodide?

20. Give two reasons why hurricanes are more likely to strike New Jersey than Oregon.

CHAPTER 12

1. What are some of the main sources of air pollution?

2. How do primary air pollutants differ from secondary air pollutants?

3. List a few of the substances that fall under the category of particulate matter.

4. Why does the particulate matter referred to as PM-10 pose the greatest risk to human health?

5. How is particulate matter removed from the atmosphere?

6. Describe the primary sources and some of the health problems associated with each of the following
pollutants:

(a) carbon monoxide (CO)

(b) sulfur dioxide (SO2)

(c) volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

(d) nitrogen oxides

7. How does London-type smog differ from Los Angeles-type smog?

8. What is photochemical smog? How does it form? What is the main components of photochemical

smog?

9. Why is photochemical smog more prevalent during the summer and early fall than during the middle
of winter?

10. Why is stratospheric ozone beneficial to life on earth, while tropospheric ozone is not?

11. If all the ozone in the stratosphere were destroyed, what possible effects might this have on the
earth’s inhabitants?

12. According to Fig. 12.8, there is a dramatic drop in the concentration of several pollutants after 1970.
What is the reason for this decrease?

13. (a) On the PSI scale, when is a pollutant considered unhealthful?

(b) On the PSI scale, how would air be described if it had a PSI value of 250 for ozone?

(c) What would be the general health effects with a PSI value of 250 for ozone? What precautions should
a person take with this value?

14. Why is a light wind, rather than a strong wind, more conducive to high concentrations of air
pollution?

15. How does atmospheric stability influence the accumulation of air pollutants?

16. Why is it that polluted air and inversions seem to go hand in hand?

17. Major air pollution episodes are mainly associated with radiation inversions or subsidence
inversions. Why?

18. Give several reasons why taller smokestacks are better than shorter ones at improving the air quality
in their immediate area.

19. How does the mixing depth normally change during the course of a day? As the mixing depth
changes, how does it affect the concentration of pollution near the surface?

20. For least-polluting conditions, what would be the best time of day for a farmer to burn agricultural
debris? Explain your reasoning.

21. Explain why most severe episodes of air pollution are associated with high pressure areas.

22. How does topography influence the concentration of pollutants in cities such as Los Angeles and
Denver? In mountainous terrain?

23. List the factors that can lead to a major buildup of atmospheric pollution.

24. What is an urban heat island? Is it more strongly developed at night or during the day? Explain.

25. What causes the “country breeze”? Why is it usually more developed at night than during the day?
Would it be more easily developed in summer or winter? Explain.

26. How can pollution play a role in influencing the precipitation downwind of certain large industrial
complexes?
27. What is acid deposition? Why is acid deposition considered a serious problem in many regions of the
world? How does precipitation become acidic?