WX301 Exam 3 Study Guide Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Globally, where are TS are most common? - CORRECT ANSWER - over tropical land
masses
to get a TS what three conditions are needed? - CORRECT ANSWER - unstable air, a lifting
mechanism and low level moisture
over tropical oceans, most TS occur at what time? - CORRECT ANSWER - before dawn
An air mass thunderstorm has mostly updrafts and surface winds flowing toward the storm until
which stage? - CORRECT ANSWER - Cumulus
In Iowa, what time day are TS most common? - CORRECT ANSWER - around sunset
In the US which state has the most TS? In which season do they occur? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Florida, Summer
How long does an air mass thunderstorm usually last? - CORRECT ANSWER - 30-60
minutes
Near a dissipating air mass thunderstorm with precipitation, is the horizontal surface air flow
near the TS flowing toward or away from the storm? - CORRECT ANSWER - Away from the
TS
What is the exact translation for Cumulonimbus? - CORRECT ANSWER - Heaped rain-
producing clouds
, What is the best way to be alerted of a TS within 50 miles at night? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Frequent lightning
Over the desert southwest, what time of the day is a TS most common? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Mid-afternoon
What is the outer edge of an expanding cold air below a thunderstorm called? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The out-flow boundery
What kind of front is at the outer edge of the expanding cold air? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Gust front
For a multi-cell TS with low-level flow from the south, where do new cells usually form? -
CORRECT ANSWER - South of the mature cell
What percentage of all TS do super-cell TS usually comprise? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1&
Where in the US, what time of day, and in which months, is super-cell convection most
common? - CORRECT ANSWER - Over the great planes, in the late afternoon/evening,
between April-June
What is a shelf cloud? Where does it form? - CORRECT ANSWER - A shelf cloud is a cloud
that forms above the gust front, in front of the updraft south of a multi-cell TS
What do multi cell and super cell TS have more of than an air mass TS? - CORRECT
ANSWER - More vertical wind shear
What does a super cell TS have that a multi cell TS does not have? - CORRECT ANSWER -
rotation
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Globally, where are TS are most common? - CORRECT ANSWER - over tropical land
masses
to get a TS what three conditions are needed? - CORRECT ANSWER - unstable air, a lifting
mechanism and low level moisture
over tropical oceans, most TS occur at what time? - CORRECT ANSWER - before dawn
An air mass thunderstorm has mostly updrafts and surface winds flowing toward the storm until
which stage? - CORRECT ANSWER - Cumulus
In Iowa, what time day are TS most common? - CORRECT ANSWER - around sunset
In the US which state has the most TS? In which season do they occur? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Florida, Summer
How long does an air mass thunderstorm usually last? - CORRECT ANSWER - 30-60
minutes
Near a dissipating air mass thunderstorm with precipitation, is the horizontal surface air flow
near the TS flowing toward or away from the storm? - CORRECT ANSWER - Away from the
TS
What is the exact translation for Cumulonimbus? - CORRECT ANSWER - Heaped rain-
producing clouds
, What is the best way to be alerted of a TS within 50 miles at night? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Frequent lightning
Over the desert southwest, what time of the day is a TS most common? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Mid-afternoon
What is the outer edge of an expanding cold air below a thunderstorm called? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The out-flow boundery
What kind of front is at the outer edge of the expanding cold air? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Gust front
For a multi-cell TS with low-level flow from the south, where do new cells usually form? -
CORRECT ANSWER - South of the mature cell
What percentage of all TS do super-cell TS usually comprise? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1&
Where in the US, what time of day, and in which months, is super-cell convection most
common? - CORRECT ANSWER - Over the great planes, in the late afternoon/evening,
between April-June
What is a shelf cloud? Where does it form? - CORRECT ANSWER - A shelf cloud is a cloud
that forms above the gust front, in front of the updraft south of a multi-cell TS
What do multi cell and super cell TS have more of than an air mass TS? - CORRECT
ANSWER - More vertical wind shear
What does a super cell TS have that a multi cell TS does not have? - CORRECT ANSWER -
rotation
