ATSC SNOW Actual final Pretest and Post test Exam
Questions and Best Graded Guaranteed success latest
2025/2026
Why do postfrontal clouds dissipate in the evenings in cold fronts - correct
answer the sun heated ground
Blizzard - correct answer combination of heavy snow, blowing snow,
clouds and fog; associated with cold fronts
Are warm fronts associated with no hazards? - correct answer no
What air temp is found at warm fronts - correct answer around 0 degrees
Celsius
Temperature gradients in a warm front are often ___ than the temperature
gradient in a cold front - correct answer weaker
Describe the winds associated with warm fronts in the northern hemisphere
- correct answer winds ahead of a warm front come from E, behind it they
shift to more S
What types of clouds are associated with warm fronts - correct answer
stratiform; it would come in this order (highest to lowest): cirrus, altostratus,
stratus, nimbostratus and associated rain
In the real world, what happens when a warm front approaches - correct
answer weather deteriorates
,What hazards are associated with warm fronts on mountains - correct
answer - flat light
- precipitation that may change characteristics (snow to rain or snow
becoming more dense and wet)
- reduced visibility from blowing snow (more associated with cold fronts but
still possible)
- thicker clouds and fog (warm air holds more moisture than cooler so the
clouds are thicker and denser, sometimes described as soupy)
White out - correct answer when you cannot see in front of you
What kind of conditions bring wind storms to the BC south coast - correct
answer - in the BC south coast, two types of low pressure systems bring
large-scale high winds which cause power outages and tree damage; often
occur at fronts
Describe the findings of Dr. Wolf Read on BC South coast wind storms -
correct answer - most frequent in first half of winter (Nov-Jan)
- most approach from SW, producing strong SE winds, some approach
from W producing strong W winds
- lows deepen as they approach the coast with a minimum of 99.4 kpa or
lower
- lower min pressures = stronger gradient = stronger winds
Pressure level maps that are a few hundred metres above most ridgelines
give you a ___ indication of wind speeds in wind exposed areas - correct
answer a better; for most southern bc mountains, 70 kpa is good
70 kpa winds greather than 60km/h will bring - correct answer high wind
speeds to wind exposed areas in mountains of southern BC
,Light winds are associated with what kind of pressure - correct answer
high pressure; identifying regions of high pressure on a map allows you to
recognize regions of light wind
If there is a weak pressure gradient, the winds will be - correct answer
light
The weaker the pressure gradient on a pressure level map, the ___ isobars
- correct answer farther
Does high pressure always mean light winds - correct answer - no,
sometimes when a high pressure system is approaching and a low is
leaving, there is a pressure gradient where the winds can be strong
- outflow winds also cause strong winds in high pressures
What is the best map to see wind - correct answer low-level wind forecast
map at the surface or at 85 kpa pressure level BUT these maps do not
account for friction which slows down wind
What are the three types of satellites used by meteorologists - correct
answer visible, infared, and water vapour
Low pressure systems have both - correct answer warm and cold fronts
Visible satellite imagery - correct answer - shows the black and white
version of what you would see if you were in space looking down on earth
- sunlight illuminated the cloud tops so you cannot use it at nighttime
, IR imagery - correct answer - detect radiation in the thermal part of the
spectrum; how hot or cold objects are
- temps often shown in kelvins; to convert to celsius subtract 273
- warm objects come from lower in the atmosphere like low clouds, the
ground, and the ocean (dark greys)
- cold temps come from objects higher like higher cloud tops
- impossible to distinguish between low clouds
What are the limitations and positives of IR imagery - correct answer - can
only infer where cloud tops are so can't distinguish between different cloud
types like thunderstorms
- but you can infer storm and frontal locations by shape and organization
It is best to use IR and satellite - correct answer together to find
threatening clouds and clear air
What are the main limitations of visible and IR imagery - correct answer
visible = can't see at night
IR = can't see low clouds
- these two forces combine during ski season because often valley clouds
form at night so it is impossible to see on both IR and visible imagery in the
early morning in winter; best way to overcome is to look at surface
observations through webcams or some airports report cloud cover and
visibility overnight
Water vapour satellite imagery - correct answer - not useful to look at
water vapour
- shows water vapour in the upper half of the troposphere
Questions and Best Graded Guaranteed success latest
2025/2026
Why do postfrontal clouds dissipate in the evenings in cold fronts - correct
answer the sun heated ground
Blizzard - correct answer combination of heavy snow, blowing snow,
clouds and fog; associated with cold fronts
Are warm fronts associated with no hazards? - correct answer no
What air temp is found at warm fronts - correct answer around 0 degrees
Celsius
Temperature gradients in a warm front are often ___ than the temperature
gradient in a cold front - correct answer weaker
Describe the winds associated with warm fronts in the northern hemisphere
- correct answer winds ahead of a warm front come from E, behind it they
shift to more S
What types of clouds are associated with warm fronts - correct answer
stratiform; it would come in this order (highest to lowest): cirrus, altostratus,
stratus, nimbostratus and associated rain
In the real world, what happens when a warm front approaches - correct
answer weather deteriorates
,What hazards are associated with warm fronts on mountains - correct
answer - flat light
- precipitation that may change characteristics (snow to rain or snow
becoming more dense and wet)
- reduced visibility from blowing snow (more associated with cold fronts but
still possible)
- thicker clouds and fog (warm air holds more moisture than cooler so the
clouds are thicker and denser, sometimes described as soupy)
White out - correct answer when you cannot see in front of you
What kind of conditions bring wind storms to the BC south coast - correct
answer - in the BC south coast, two types of low pressure systems bring
large-scale high winds which cause power outages and tree damage; often
occur at fronts
Describe the findings of Dr. Wolf Read on BC South coast wind storms -
correct answer - most frequent in first half of winter (Nov-Jan)
- most approach from SW, producing strong SE winds, some approach
from W producing strong W winds
- lows deepen as they approach the coast with a minimum of 99.4 kpa or
lower
- lower min pressures = stronger gradient = stronger winds
Pressure level maps that are a few hundred metres above most ridgelines
give you a ___ indication of wind speeds in wind exposed areas - correct
answer a better; for most southern bc mountains, 70 kpa is good
70 kpa winds greather than 60km/h will bring - correct answer high wind
speeds to wind exposed areas in mountains of southern BC
,Light winds are associated with what kind of pressure - correct answer
high pressure; identifying regions of high pressure on a map allows you to
recognize regions of light wind
If there is a weak pressure gradient, the winds will be - correct answer
light
The weaker the pressure gradient on a pressure level map, the ___ isobars
- correct answer farther
Does high pressure always mean light winds - correct answer - no,
sometimes when a high pressure system is approaching and a low is
leaving, there is a pressure gradient where the winds can be strong
- outflow winds also cause strong winds in high pressures
What is the best map to see wind - correct answer low-level wind forecast
map at the surface or at 85 kpa pressure level BUT these maps do not
account for friction which slows down wind
What are the three types of satellites used by meteorologists - correct
answer visible, infared, and water vapour
Low pressure systems have both - correct answer warm and cold fronts
Visible satellite imagery - correct answer - shows the black and white
version of what you would see if you were in space looking down on earth
- sunlight illuminated the cloud tops so you cannot use it at nighttime
, IR imagery - correct answer - detect radiation in the thermal part of the
spectrum; how hot or cold objects are
- temps often shown in kelvins; to convert to celsius subtract 273
- warm objects come from lower in the atmosphere like low clouds, the
ground, and the ocean (dark greys)
- cold temps come from objects higher like higher cloud tops
- impossible to distinguish between low clouds
What are the limitations and positives of IR imagery - correct answer - can
only infer where cloud tops are so can't distinguish between different cloud
types like thunderstorms
- but you can infer storm and frontal locations by shape and organization
It is best to use IR and satellite - correct answer together to find
threatening clouds and clear air
What are the main limitations of visible and IR imagery - correct answer
visible = can't see at night
IR = can't see low clouds
- these two forces combine during ski season because often valley clouds
form at night so it is impossible to see on both IR and visible imagery in the
early morning in winter; best way to overcome is to look at surface
observations through webcams or some airports report cloud cover and
visibility overnight
Water vapour satellite imagery - correct answer - not useful to look at
water vapour
- shows water vapour in the upper half of the troposphere
