EAPS 106 EXAM 4 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Why storm surges occur on only one side of a hurricane. - Answer- They only occur on
one side because the storm is rotating so on one side the winds will be on shore and
the other side will be off shore
The deadliest hazard associated with a cyclone. - Answer- Storm surges attribute to
49% of deaths, rain is 27%, and surf, offshore, wind, tornadoes, and other attribute to
the rest.
What causes nor'easters and know where they occur. - Answer- Nor'easters are
extratropical cyclones that form far from the tropics. They form when cold arctic air
collides with and lifts warm, moist air above the Gulf Stream. They get their name from
the direction from which the wind comes on shore along the US northeast coast.
Nor'easters are referred to as cold core storms since cold air underlies them, as
opposed to Hurricanes which are warm core storms since they are underlain by the
warm air of the tropics
When prime tornado season is in the U.S. - Answer- Occurs in the spring, when the
waters from the Gulf of Mexico begin to warm, while cold air masses still descend from
the north.
How the Enhanced Fujita Scale rates tornadoes. - Answer- Rates tornado strength
based on the damage it inflicts, which is then used to estimate wind speed.
Why tornado chasers want to measure the wind speed of tornadoes. - Answer- By
measuring the wind speed of tornadoes, storm chasers can help to develop numerical
models used to gain insight into predicting tornado formation and behavior
About what percentage of tornadoes cause most deaths. - Answer- EF4s and EF5s
cause 67% of deaths but only account for 1% of all tornadoes
What happens to warm, moist air when it rises. - Answer- It expands due to lower
pressures with altitude, causing it to cool (think same energy spread out over a larger
volume)
What happens to warm, moist air when it cools. - Answer- Cold air cannot hold as much
water vapor as warm air, thus cooling causes some of the water vapor to condense
back into droplets and ice crystals, forming clouds.
, Which kind of clouds lead to the biggest thunderstorms. - Answer- Cumulonimbus
clouds: higher clouds carry stronger winds and more thunderstorms
Cumulonimbus clouds have the most height and an anvil-shaped head
What happens when a cold air mass collides with a warm, moist air mass. - Answer- A
cold front. Cold air rapidly pushes warm moist air high into the atmosphere, forming
cumulonimbus clouds. Warm fronts are gentler, as warm air gradually gains altitude by
riding up a mass of cold air like a ramp, forming cumulus clouds.
Whether dry air or moist air is heavier. - Answer- Dry air is heavier than moist air
Cold air is heavier/denser than warm air
What causes lightning. - Answer- Lightning is a sudden electrostatic discharge between
oppositely charged regions of a cloud or between a cloud and the ground. A strong
separation of electric charges occurs as falling ice particles strip rising water molecules
of their electrons. Preceded by step ladders/leaders (he said different areas call them
different things) that search for a complete circuit with the ground/cloud and then strike
when it finds a complete path.
Good safety practices for when a lightning storm is in your area. - Answer- Stay away
from tall, isolated objects (as they can act as step/ground leaders)
If you hear thunder, there's lightning
Lightning crouch (crouch so that the heels touch) supposedly routes electricity away
from the heart
No longer recommended, people are stupid and didn't treat this as a last resort when
that's what it is
What causes thunder. - Answer- A lightning bolt almost instantly raises the temperature
of air to over 50000 degrees F, causing a rapid expansion of the air that results in a
shock wave we hear as thunder.
What causes hail. - Answer- Made from ice crystals that travel repeatedly above and
below the freezing line, enabling additional water to freeze onto them until they become
too heavy for the updrafts and fall to the ground
They are also a sign of a larger thunderstorm
What thunderstorm microbursts are. - Answer- Microbursts (or downbursts) are areas of
rapidly descending cold air that cause strong wind shear that can knock down trees and
houses like a tornado. Particularly dangerous to aircraft during landings. Fortunately, air
traffic controllers can detect downbursts using Doppler radar and steer airplanes clear.
What distinguishes supercells from all other thunderstorms. - Answer- Rotation in the
cumulonimbus clouds are supercells, while the cumulonimbus clouds in thunderstorms
do not rotate
AND ANSWERS
Why storm surges occur on only one side of a hurricane. - Answer- They only occur on
one side because the storm is rotating so on one side the winds will be on shore and
the other side will be off shore
The deadliest hazard associated with a cyclone. - Answer- Storm surges attribute to
49% of deaths, rain is 27%, and surf, offshore, wind, tornadoes, and other attribute to
the rest.
What causes nor'easters and know where they occur. - Answer- Nor'easters are
extratropical cyclones that form far from the tropics. They form when cold arctic air
collides with and lifts warm, moist air above the Gulf Stream. They get their name from
the direction from which the wind comes on shore along the US northeast coast.
Nor'easters are referred to as cold core storms since cold air underlies them, as
opposed to Hurricanes which are warm core storms since they are underlain by the
warm air of the tropics
When prime tornado season is in the U.S. - Answer- Occurs in the spring, when the
waters from the Gulf of Mexico begin to warm, while cold air masses still descend from
the north.
How the Enhanced Fujita Scale rates tornadoes. - Answer- Rates tornado strength
based on the damage it inflicts, which is then used to estimate wind speed.
Why tornado chasers want to measure the wind speed of tornadoes. - Answer- By
measuring the wind speed of tornadoes, storm chasers can help to develop numerical
models used to gain insight into predicting tornado formation and behavior
About what percentage of tornadoes cause most deaths. - Answer- EF4s and EF5s
cause 67% of deaths but only account for 1% of all tornadoes
What happens to warm, moist air when it rises. - Answer- It expands due to lower
pressures with altitude, causing it to cool (think same energy spread out over a larger
volume)
What happens to warm, moist air when it cools. - Answer- Cold air cannot hold as much
water vapor as warm air, thus cooling causes some of the water vapor to condense
back into droplets and ice crystals, forming clouds.
, Which kind of clouds lead to the biggest thunderstorms. - Answer- Cumulonimbus
clouds: higher clouds carry stronger winds and more thunderstorms
Cumulonimbus clouds have the most height and an anvil-shaped head
What happens when a cold air mass collides with a warm, moist air mass. - Answer- A
cold front. Cold air rapidly pushes warm moist air high into the atmosphere, forming
cumulonimbus clouds. Warm fronts are gentler, as warm air gradually gains altitude by
riding up a mass of cold air like a ramp, forming cumulus clouds.
Whether dry air or moist air is heavier. - Answer- Dry air is heavier than moist air
Cold air is heavier/denser than warm air
What causes lightning. - Answer- Lightning is a sudden electrostatic discharge between
oppositely charged regions of a cloud or between a cloud and the ground. A strong
separation of electric charges occurs as falling ice particles strip rising water molecules
of their electrons. Preceded by step ladders/leaders (he said different areas call them
different things) that search for a complete circuit with the ground/cloud and then strike
when it finds a complete path.
Good safety practices for when a lightning storm is in your area. - Answer- Stay away
from tall, isolated objects (as they can act as step/ground leaders)
If you hear thunder, there's lightning
Lightning crouch (crouch so that the heels touch) supposedly routes electricity away
from the heart
No longer recommended, people are stupid and didn't treat this as a last resort when
that's what it is
What causes thunder. - Answer- A lightning bolt almost instantly raises the temperature
of air to over 50000 degrees F, causing a rapid expansion of the air that results in a
shock wave we hear as thunder.
What causes hail. - Answer- Made from ice crystals that travel repeatedly above and
below the freezing line, enabling additional water to freeze onto them until they become
too heavy for the updrafts and fall to the ground
They are also a sign of a larger thunderstorm
What thunderstorm microbursts are. - Answer- Microbursts (or downbursts) are areas of
rapidly descending cold air that cause strong wind shear that can knock down trees and
houses like a tornado. Particularly dangerous to aircraft during landings. Fortunately, air
traffic controllers can detect downbursts using Doppler radar and steer airplanes clear.
What distinguishes supercells from all other thunderstorms. - Answer- Rotation in the
cumulonimbus clouds are supercells, while the cumulonimbus clouds in thunderstorms
do not rotate
