ATM S 101: Weather"
Summer Quarter 2010
sug!"ed problems: week 8
True and False (Circle T or F; if False, indicate which part of the statement is erroneous)
1. Microscale atmospheric motions range from the molecular scale to about 100
meters.
T
F
2. A midlatitude cyclone is an example of a Synoptic scale phenomenon.
T
F
3. Sea breezes blow during the night.
T
F
4. El Nino/Southern Oscillation is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon in the
equatorial Pacific that influences global weather.
T
F
5. A dust devil is a tornado.
T
F
6. Santa Ana winds are east-to-west winds in Southern California caused by a
pressure gradient between the Pacific coastline and the desert Southwest.
T
F
7. Monsoons are seasonal reversals in the direction of the prevailing winds.
T
F
8. Valley breezes blow during the day when mountain sides heat up.
T
F
9. Chinook winds are know for their warmth and dryness.
T
F
10. Dust storms are know as haboob across North Africa and the Middle East.
T
F
11. The Hadley cell is the circulation cell closest to the equator, named for
meteorologist George Hadley.
T
F
12. If the Earth didnʼt rotate, there would likely be one equator to pole circulation cell.
T
F
13. Roaring 40s and Furious 50s refer to a band of strong surface winds that encircle
the Southern Hemisphere off the southern coast of South America and Africa.
T
F
14. Most surface ocean currents are wind driven.
T
F
15. Easterlies blow around the hemispheres in the tropics and near the poles,
whereas westerlies encircle the midlatitudes.
T
F
16. The region of low pressure along the equator is called the intertropical
convergence zone or ITCZ.
T
F
17. During wintertime, it is possible to identify two jet streams in the Northern
Hemisphere, the polar jet stream and the subtropical jet stream.
T
F
18. Southward movement of the Pacific high in summer tends to keep summer along
the west coast relatively dry.
T
F
ATM S 101: Weather"
Summer Quarter 2010
Multiple Choice (Circle the correct answer)
19. The subtropical jet is found on the poleward side of the _____ cell.
"
a. Hadley"
"
b. Ferrel"
"
c. polar" "
d. equatorial
20. Strong relationships between the weather in distant locations are called ________.
"
a. broadbands" "
b. teleconnections"
c. links" "
d. bridges
21. The North Atlantic Oscillation represents a shift in atmospheric mass caused by _____.
"
a. gravity"
"
b. the polar jet stream" c. mountains"
d. ocean currents"
22. El Nino/Southern Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation are forced by ____.
"
a. natural variability"
b. human activity"
c. aliens"
d. magnetic fields
23. “Oscillations” on the scales of decades and longer are hard to describe because of ______.
"
a. the short historical record"
b. their shape" "
c. their size relative to other variability
24. When was the last major El Nino event in the Pacific?
"
a. 1982-83"
"
b. 1975-76"
"
c. 2002-03"
d. 1997-98
25. Wind shear causes what sort of turbulence?
"
a. persistent turbulence" "
b. clear air turbulence" "
c. micro turbulence
26. Land breezes blow at night when land is _____ than the surrounding water.
"
a. warmer"
b. cooler
27. What season does the Indian monsoon occur in?
"
a. winter"
"
b. spring"
"
c. summer"
d. fall" "
28. Mesoscale motions are approximately the size of a ______.
"
a. car" "
"
b. swimming pool"
c. city"
"
d. state""
29. Northerly winds along the coast of California cause ______ in the ocean just offshore.
"
a. upwelling"
"
b. downwelling" "
c. tidal waves" "
30. Monsoons are observed in India, China, Australia, and _______.
"
a. Europe"
"
b. Mexico and Arizona" c. Peru"
d. Antarctica"
Short Answer (Write no more than 4 sentences)
31. List the 4 general categories describing the scales of motion in the atmosphere.
Microscale, Mesoscale, Synoptic scale, Global (or planetary) scale
ATM S 101: Weather"
Summer Quarter 2010
32. Describe atmospheric turbulence and give an example of its impact on human activity.
Atmospheric turbulence describes the seemingly random, swirling motions of air. Turbulence
operates on many scales, from the synoptic scale to the microscale. It impacts human activity
particularly in aviation. Planes flying near the Earthʼs surface or in turbulent portions of the
upper atmosphere often have trouble flying smoothly. You may have experienced this as clear
air turbulence in the middle of a flight or as a bumpy ascent or descent on take-off / landing.
33. Describe the weather India experiences during the monsoon season and during the rest of
the year. Which way to the prevailing winds blow during those seasons?
During the monsoon (wet) season, India experiences humid, hot, and rainy conditions. The
winds blow from ocean to land, usually from SW to NE.
During the rest of the year, winds tend to blow off the subcontinent, causing mainly clear
conditions over India. It tends to be cold in winter, when Katabatic winds blow down off of the
Tibetan plateau. Winds blow from N to S during winter.
34. Give an example of Katabatic winds and describe why they form?
The Foehn winds of the Swiss Alps are Katabatic; so are the cold winds that blow down off of
the Greenland Ice sheet. They form when cold, dense air pools in high, icy terrain. This dense
air flows down to replace warmer air below. As it does so, it warms slightly by compression.
35. Draw a diagram of the Earthʼs circulation cells and label the direction (Easterly, westerly) of
surface winds in each.
From equator to pole, the three cells are Hadley, Ferrel, and polar. Rising motion is observed at
the equator and at the polar front. sinking motion is observed at the pole and in the subtropics.
Easterly winds are observed in the polar cell and Hadley cell, westerly winds prevail in the
Ferrel cell.
ATM S 101: Weather"
Summer Quarter 2010
36. What are the doldrums named for, and where are they located?
Light winds and persistent weather conditions in the deep tropics. Hot and humid, ALWAYS.
37. Where is the polar front located relative to the polar jet stream?
Directly below it.
38. In what season is the polar jet stream strongest?
Winter.
39. Draw a diagram illustrating a sea breeze circulation.
Rising motion is observed over the land, with low pressure at the surface. Sinking motion is
observed over the water, with high pressure at the surface. Flow is from water to land at the
surface and from land to water aloft.
40. Name two differences between the general circulation in the Northern Hemisphere and
Southern Hemisphere. What causes these differences?
The winds around the high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere are stronger than in the
Northern Hemisphere. The westerlies in the midlatitudes of the SH are stronger than in the NH.
Both are due to the dominance of water in the SH. There is less land to slow the winds down in
the SH.
However, the circulation in the NH changes much more from summer to winter than in the SH.
This is also due to the land-ocean contrast, and results from the warming and cooling of the
land in summer and winter (over land, low pressure in summer, high pressure in winter)