WX 201 FINAL TEST PAPER COMPLETE
QUESTIONS WITH ACCURATE ANSWERS
●● Severe Thunderstorm criteria
Answer: Hail ≥ 1 inch, winds ≥ 58 mph, or tornado.
●● Ordinary Thunderstorm
Answer: Short-lived, weak storm with little wind shear.
●● Entrainment
Answer: Mixing of dry air into the storm → strengthens downdrafts via
evaporation cooling.
●● Gust Front
Answer: Cool air boundary spreading outward from storm downdraft.
●● Squall Line
Answer: Long line of thunderstorms ahead of a cold front.
●● Bow Echo
Answer: Bow-shaped radar pattern → indicates strong straight-line
winds.
,●● Derecho
Answer: Long-lasting, widespread damaging windstorm from a squall
line.
●● Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC)
Answer: Large, long-lived cluster of thunderstorms.
●● Supercell Thunderstorm
Answer: Rotating thunderstorm with a persistent updraft (mesocyclone).
●● Shelf Cloud
Answer: Low, wedge-shaped cloud on storm front.
●● Roll Cloud
Answer: Detached, rolling horizontal cloud.
●● Outflow Boundary
Answer: Boundary between cool storm air and warm surrounding air.
●● Overshooting Top
Answer: Dome above anvil showing strong updraft.
, ●● Mammatus Clouds
Answer: Pouch-like clouds under anvil.
●● Downbursts
Answer: Strong downdraft hitting ground and spreading outward.
●● Tornado
Answer: Violently rotating column of air touching ground.
●● Fujita Scale (EF Scale)
Answer: Rates tornado damage from EF0 to EF5.
●● Lightning
Answer: Electrical discharge caused by charge separation in clouds.
●● Thunder
Answer: Sound from rapid air expansion due to lightning heat.
●● Hurricane
Answer: Warm-core, low-pressure system with sustained winds ≥ 74
mph.
QUESTIONS WITH ACCURATE ANSWERS
●● Severe Thunderstorm criteria
Answer: Hail ≥ 1 inch, winds ≥ 58 mph, or tornado.
●● Ordinary Thunderstorm
Answer: Short-lived, weak storm with little wind shear.
●● Entrainment
Answer: Mixing of dry air into the storm → strengthens downdrafts via
evaporation cooling.
●● Gust Front
Answer: Cool air boundary spreading outward from storm downdraft.
●● Squall Line
Answer: Long line of thunderstorms ahead of a cold front.
●● Bow Echo
Answer: Bow-shaped radar pattern → indicates strong straight-line
winds.
,●● Derecho
Answer: Long-lasting, widespread damaging windstorm from a squall
line.
●● Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC)
Answer: Large, long-lived cluster of thunderstorms.
●● Supercell Thunderstorm
Answer: Rotating thunderstorm with a persistent updraft (mesocyclone).
●● Shelf Cloud
Answer: Low, wedge-shaped cloud on storm front.
●● Roll Cloud
Answer: Detached, rolling horizontal cloud.
●● Outflow Boundary
Answer: Boundary between cool storm air and warm surrounding air.
●● Overshooting Top
Answer: Dome above anvil showing strong updraft.
, ●● Mammatus Clouds
Answer: Pouch-like clouds under anvil.
●● Downbursts
Answer: Strong downdraft hitting ground and spreading outward.
●● Tornado
Answer: Violently rotating column of air touching ground.
●● Fujita Scale (EF Scale)
Answer: Rates tornado damage from EF0 to EF5.
●● Lightning
Answer: Electrical discharge caused by charge separation in clouds.
●● Thunder
Answer: Sound from rapid air expansion due to lightning heat.
●● Hurricane
Answer: Warm-core, low-pressure system with sustained winds ≥ 74
mph.
