Meteorology [TRUE/FALSE] 1) The polar front blocks the movement of anticyclonic
ID: 109373 • Letter: M
Question
Meteorology [TRUE/FALSE]
1) The polar front blocks the movement of anticyclonic storms over the polar regions, thereby lowering the amount of moisture the polar areas can receive.
2) Tornadoes typically form when a mass of cold, dry air blows in over a mass of warm, wet air near the ground OR in areas of wind shear.
3) It is easier to forecast the movement of a tornado, than the potential of a blizzard.
4) Hurricanes are formed from simple complexes of thunderstorms and require areas of high relative humidity concentrations.
5) A hurricane warning forecasts sustained winds of at least 74 mph (64kts) to reach a specific coastal area within in 24 hour or the onset of the storm..
Explanation / Answer
1) The polar front blocks the movement of anti-cyclonic storms over the polar regions, thereby lowering the amount of moisture the polar areas can receive. – False
[Anticyclones aloft can form within warm core lows such as tropical cyclones, due to descending cool air from the backside of upper troughs such as polar highs, or from large scale sinking such as the subtropical ridge.]
2) Tornadoes typically form when a mass of cold, dry air blows in over a mass of warm, wet air near the ground OR in areas of wind shear. – True.
[When a cold air mass is located above an organized cluster of tropical thunderstorms, an unstable atmosphere results. This instability increases the likelihood of convection, which leads to strong updrafts that lift the air and moisture upwards, creating an environment favorable for the development of high, towering clouds. A tropical disturbance is born when this moving mass of thunderstorms maintains its identity for a period of 24 hours or more. This is the first stage of a developing hurricane. Surface convergence causes rising motion around a surface cyclone. The air cools as it rises and condensation occurs. The condensation of water vapor to liquid water releases the latent heat of condensation into the atmosphere. This heating causes the air to expand, forcing the air to diverge at the upper levels.]
3) It is easier to forecast the movement of a tornado, than the potential of a blizzard.- False
[Hurricanes and blizzards show up on satellites days beforehand, but the conditions that favor tornados appear much more quickly and unexpectedly. Tornadoes are just made of much finer print, so to speak. Their paths are smaller and they last for shorter periods of time, so predicting any particular tornado requires a fine-grain understanding that's more difficult.]
4) Hurricanes are formed from simple complexes of thunderstorms and require areas of high relative humidity concentrations.- True
[Hurricanes are formed from simple complexes of thunderstorms. However, these thunderstorms can only grow to hurricane strength with cooperation from both the ocean and the atmosphere. Hurricanes are born over warm, tropical oceans, because they are fueled by water vapor that is pushed up from the warm ocean surface, so they can last longer and sometimes move much further over water than over land. The combination of heat and moisture, along with the right wind conditions, can create a new hurricane.]
5) A hurricane warning forecasts sustained winds of at least 74 mph (64kts) to reach a specific coastal area within in 24 hour or the onset of the storm. – True.
[The storm's past track appears as a solid blue line, with colored squares representing the locations of all previous advisories. These are color-coded according to the maximum wind speeds observed at the time of each advisory. The colors indicate:
- Blue - tropical storm-force winds of at least 34kt or 39mph;
- Yellow - strong tropical storm-force winds of at least 50kt or 58mph; and
- Red - hurricane-force winds of at least 64kts or 74mph.]