ATM 1050 FINAL EXAM GUIDE WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTION
Air mass - ANSWER A large body of air that has similar horizontal
temperature and moisture characteristics.
source regions (for air masses) - ANSWER Regions where air masses originate
and acquire their properties of temperature and moisture.
Continental polar (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by low
temperatures and dry air. Not as cold as arctic air masses.
Continental arctic (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by
extremely low temperatures and very dry air.
lake-effect snows - ANSWER Localized snowstorms that form on the
downwind side of a lake. Such storms are common in late fall and early
winter near the Great Lakes as cold, dry air picks up moisture and warmth
from the unfrozen bodies of water.
maritime polar (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by low
temperatures and high humidity.
Pacific Air - ANSWER Cool, moist air that originates over the Pacific Ocean,
moves eastward, then descends the Rocky Mountains and moves over the
plains as dry, stable, relatively cool air.
Maritime tropical (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by high
temperatures and high humidity.
Atmospheric River - ANSWER A region of upper-level flow that transports
,large amounts of moisture, typically from the tropics and subtropics into the
midlatitudes.
Continental tropical (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by high
temperatures and low humidity.
stationary front - ANSWER A front that is nearly stationary with winds
blowing almost parallel and from opposite directions on each side of the
front.
cold front - ANSWER A transition zone where a cold air mass advances and
replaces a warm air mass.
frontolysis - ANSWER the weakening or dissipation of a front.
frontogenesis - ANSWER the formation, strengthening, or regeneration of a
front.
"back door" cold front - ANSWER A cold front moving south or southwest
along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States.
cold air damming - ANSWER A shallow layer of cold air that is trapped
between the Atlantic coast and the Appalachian Mountains.
Overrunning - ANSWER A condition that occurs when air moves up and over
another layer of air
Frontal inversion - ANSWER A temperature inversion encountered upon
ascending through a sloping front, usually a warm front.
dryline - ANSWER A boundary that separates warm, dry air from warm, moist
air. It usually represents a zone of instability along which thunderstorms
form.
,Occluded front (occlusion) - ANSWER A complex frontal system that ideally
forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front. When the air behind the
front is colder than the air ahead of it, the front is called a cold occlusion.
When the air behind the front is milder than the air ahead of it, it is called a
warm occlusion.
Upper-air front - ANSWER A front that is present aloft but usually does not
extend down to the ground. Also called an upper front and an
upper-tropospheric front.
polar front theory - ANSWER A theory developed by a group of Scandinavian
meteorologists that explains the formation, development, and overall life
history of cyclonic storms that form along the polar front.
wave cyclone - ANSWER An extratropical cyclone that forms and moves
along a front. The circulation of winds about the cyclone tends to produce a
wavelike deformation on the front.
frontal wave - ANSWER A wavelike deformation along a front in the lower
levels of the atmosphere. Those that develop into storms are termed
unstable waves, while those that do not are called stable waves.
warm sector - ANSWER The region of warm air within a wave cyclone that
lies between a retreating warm front and an advancing cold front.
secondary low - ANSWER A low-pressure area (often an open wave) that
forms near, or in association with, a main low-pressure area.
cyclogenesis - ANSWER The development or strengthening of
middle-latitude (extratropical) cyclones.
lee-side low - ANSWER Storm systems (extratropical cyclones) that form on
, the downwind (lee) side of a mountain chain. In the United States lee-side
lows frequently form on the eastern side of the Rockies and Sierra Nevada
mountains.
Northeaster - ANSWER A name given to a strong, steady wind from the
northeast that is accompanied by rain and inclement weather. It often
develops when a storm system moves northeastward along the coast of
North America. Also called nor'easter.
Convergence - ANSWER An atmospheric condition that exists when the
winds cause a horizontal net inflow of air into a specified region.
divergence - ANSWER An atmospheric condition that exists when the winds
cause a horizontal net outflow of air from a specific region.
shortwave - ANSWER A small wave that moves around longwaves in the
same direction as the air flow in the middle and upper troposphere.
Shortwaves are also called shortwave troughs.
barotropic (atmosphere) - ANSWER A condition in the atmosphere where
surfaces of constant density parallel surfaces of constant pressure.
baroclinic (atmosphere) - ANSWER The state of the atmosphere where
surfaces of constant pressure intersect surfaces of constant density. On an
isobaric chart, isotherms cross the contour lines, and temperature advection
exists.
cold advection - ANSWER The transport of cold air by the wind from a region
of lower temperatures to a region of higher temperatures.
warm advection - ANSWER The transport of warm air by the wind from a
region of higher temperatures to a region of lower temperatures.
COMPLETE SOLUTION
Air mass - ANSWER A large body of air that has similar horizontal
temperature and moisture characteristics.
source regions (for air masses) - ANSWER Regions where air masses originate
and acquire their properties of temperature and moisture.
Continental polar (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by low
temperatures and dry air. Not as cold as arctic air masses.
Continental arctic (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by
extremely low temperatures and very dry air.
lake-effect snows - ANSWER Localized snowstorms that form on the
downwind side of a lake. Such storms are common in late fall and early
winter near the Great Lakes as cold, dry air picks up moisture and warmth
from the unfrozen bodies of water.
maritime polar (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by low
temperatures and high humidity.
Pacific Air - ANSWER Cool, moist air that originates over the Pacific Ocean,
moves eastward, then descends the Rocky Mountains and moves over the
plains as dry, stable, relatively cool air.
Maritime tropical (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by high
temperatures and high humidity.
Atmospheric River - ANSWER A region of upper-level flow that transports
,large amounts of moisture, typically from the tropics and subtropics into the
midlatitudes.
Continental tropical (air mass) - ANSWER An air mass characterized by high
temperatures and low humidity.
stationary front - ANSWER A front that is nearly stationary with winds
blowing almost parallel and from opposite directions on each side of the
front.
cold front - ANSWER A transition zone where a cold air mass advances and
replaces a warm air mass.
frontolysis - ANSWER the weakening or dissipation of a front.
frontogenesis - ANSWER the formation, strengthening, or regeneration of a
front.
"back door" cold front - ANSWER A cold front moving south or southwest
along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States.
cold air damming - ANSWER A shallow layer of cold air that is trapped
between the Atlantic coast and the Appalachian Mountains.
Overrunning - ANSWER A condition that occurs when air moves up and over
another layer of air
Frontal inversion - ANSWER A temperature inversion encountered upon
ascending through a sloping front, usually a warm front.
dryline - ANSWER A boundary that separates warm, dry air from warm, moist
air. It usually represents a zone of instability along which thunderstorms
form.
,Occluded front (occlusion) - ANSWER A complex frontal system that ideally
forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front. When the air behind the
front is colder than the air ahead of it, the front is called a cold occlusion.
When the air behind the front is milder than the air ahead of it, it is called a
warm occlusion.
Upper-air front - ANSWER A front that is present aloft but usually does not
extend down to the ground. Also called an upper front and an
upper-tropospheric front.
polar front theory - ANSWER A theory developed by a group of Scandinavian
meteorologists that explains the formation, development, and overall life
history of cyclonic storms that form along the polar front.
wave cyclone - ANSWER An extratropical cyclone that forms and moves
along a front. The circulation of winds about the cyclone tends to produce a
wavelike deformation on the front.
frontal wave - ANSWER A wavelike deformation along a front in the lower
levels of the atmosphere. Those that develop into storms are termed
unstable waves, while those that do not are called stable waves.
warm sector - ANSWER The region of warm air within a wave cyclone that
lies between a retreating warm front and an advancing cold front.
secondary low - ANSWER A low-pressure area (often an open wave) that
forms near, or in association with, a main low-pressure area.
cyclogenesis - ANSWER The development or strengthening of
middle-latitude (extratropical) cyclones.
lee-side low - ANSWER Storm systems (extratropical cyclones) that form on
, the downwind (lee) side of a mountain chain. In the United States lee-side
lows frequently form on the eastern side of the Rockies and Sierra Nevada
mountains.
Northeaster - ANSWER A name given to a strong, steady wind from the
northeast that is accompanied by rain and inclement weather. It often
develops when a storm system moves northeastward along the coast of
North America. Also called nor'easter.
Convergence - ANSWER An atmospheric condition that exists when the
winds cause a horizontal net inflow of air into a specified region.
divergence - ANSWER An atmospheric condition that exists when the winds
cause a horizontal net outflow of air from a specific region.
shortwave - ANSWER A small wave that moves around longwaves in the
same direction as the air flow in the middle and upper troposphere.
Shortwaves are also called shortwave troughs.
barotropic (atmosphere) - ANSWER A condition in the atmosphere where
surfaces of constant density parallel surfaces of constant pressure.
baroclinic (atmosphere) - ANSWER The state of the atmosphere where
surfaces of constant pressure intersect surfaces of constant density. On an
isobaric chart, isotherms cross the contour lines, and temperature advection
exists.
cold advection - ANSWER The transport of cold air by the wind from a region
of lower temperatures to a region of higher temperatures.
warm advection - ANSWER The transport of warm air by the wind from a
region of higher temperatures to a region of lower temperatures.
