Chapter #15 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. Why are cumulus clouds normally white? Get solution

1qt. Why is it often difficult to see the road while driving on a foggy night with your high beam lights on? Get solution

2qr. Why do the undersides of building cumulus clouds frequently change color from white to dark gray or even black? Get solution

2qt. Explain why the notion that “the sky is blue because of reflected light from the oceans” is false. Get solution

3qr. Explain why the sky is blue during the day and black at night. Get solution

3qt. Why does smoke rising from a cigarette appear blue, yet appears white when blown from the mouth? Get solution

4qr. What can make a setting (or rising) sun appear red? Get solution

4qt. If there were no atmosphere surrounding the earth, what color would the sky be at sunrise? At sunset? What color would the sun be at noon? At sunrise? At sunset? Get solution

5qr. If the earth had no atmosphere, what would be the color of the daytime sky? Get solution

5qt. Explain why, on a cloudless day, the sky will usually appear milky white before it rains and a deeper blue after it rains. Get solution

6qr. Explain why the horizon sky appears white on a hazy day. Get solution

6qt. Why are rainbows seldom observed at noon? Get solution

7qr. What process (refraction or scattering) produces crepuscular rays? Get solution

7qt. During the day, clouds are white and the sky is blue. Why then, during a full moon, do cumulus clouds appear faintly white, while the sky does not appear blue? Get solution

8qr. Why do stars “twinkle”? Get solution

8qt. During Ernest Shackleton’s last expedition to Antarctica, on May 8, 1915, seven days after the sun had set for the winter, he saw the sun reappear. Explain how this event—called the Novaya Zemlya effect—can occur. Get solution

9qr. How does refraction of light differ from reflection of light? Get solution

9qt. Choose a 3-day period in which to observe the sky 5 times each day. Record in a notebook the number of times you see halos, crepuscular rays, coronas, cloud iridescence, sundogs, rainbows, and other phenomena. Get solution

10qr. How long does twilight last on the moon? (Hint: The moon has no atmosphere.) Get solution

11qr. At what time of day would you expect to observe the green flash? Get solution

12qr. How does light bend as it enters a more-dense substance at an angle? How does it bend upon leaving the more-dense substance? Make a sketch to illustrate your answer. Get solution

13qr. On a clear, dry, warm day, why do dark road surfaces frequently appear wet? Get solution

14qr. What atmospheric conditions are necessary for an inferior mirage? A superior mirage? Get solution

15qr. (a) Describe how a halo forms. (b) How is the formation of a halo different from that of a sundog? Get solution

16qr. Would you expect to see a ringed halo if the sky contains a few wispy cirrus clouds? Explain. Get solution

17qr. What process is believed to be mainly responsible for the formation of sun pillars: refraction, reflection, or scattering? Get solution

18qr. Explain why this rhyme makes sense: Rainbow in the morning, joggers take warning. Rainbow at night (evening), jogger’s delight. Get solution

19qr. Why can a rainbow only be observed if the sun is at the observer’s back? Get solution

20qr. Why are secondary rainbows much dimmer than primary rainbows? Get solution

21qr. How would you distinguish a corona from a halo? Get solution

22qr. What process is primarily responsible for the formation of cloud iridescence—reflection, refraction, or diffraction of light? Get solution

Chapter #14 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. What are some of the main sources of air pollution? Get solution

1qt. Would you expect a fumigation-type smoke plume on a warm, sunny afternoon? Explain. Get solution

2qr. How do primary air pollutants differ from secondary air pollutants? Get solution

2qt. Give a few reasons why, in industrial areas, nighttime pollution levels might be higher than daytime levels. Get solution

3qr. List a few of the substances that fall under the category of particulate matter. Get solution

3qt. Explain this apparent paradox: High levels of tropospheric (ground-level) ozone are “bad” and we try to reduce them, whereas high levels of stratospheric ozone are “good” and we try to maintain them. Get solution

4qr. How does PM-10 particulate matter differ from that called PM-2.5? Which poses the greatest risk to human health? Get solution

4qt. A large industrial smokestack located within an urban area emits vast quantities of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Following criticism from local residents that emissions from the stack are contributing to poor air quality in the area, the management raises the height of the stack from 10 m (33 ft) to 100 m (330 ft). Will this increase in stack height change any of the existing air quality problems? Will it create any new problems? Explain. Get solution

5qr. How is particulate matter removed from the atmosphere? Get solution

5qt. If the sulfuric acid and nitric acid in rainwater are capable of adversely affecting soil, trees, and fish, why doesn’t this same acid adversely affect people when they walk in the rain? Get solution

6qr. Describe the primary sources and some of the health problems associated with each of the following pollutants: (a) carbon monoxide (CO) (b) sulfur dioxide (SO2) (c) volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (d) nitrogen oxides Get solution

6qt. Which do you feel is likely to be more acidic: acid rain or acid fog? Explain your reasoning. Get solution

7qr. How does London-type smog differ from Los Angeles-type smog? Get solution

7qt. Keep a log of the daily AQI readings in your area and note the pollutants listed in the index. Also, keep a record of the daily weather conditions, such as cloud cover, high temperature for the day, average wind direction and speed, etc. See if there is any relationship between these weather conditions and high AQI readings for certain pollutants. Get solution

8qr. What is photochemical smog? How does it form? What is the main component of photochemical smog? Get solution

9qr. Why is photochemical smog more prevalent during the summer and early fall than during the middle of winter? Get solution

10qr. Why is stratospheric ozone beneficial to life on earth, whereas tropospheric (ground-level) ozone is not? Get solution

11qr. If most of the ozone in the stratosphere were destroyed, what possible effects might this have on the earth’s inhabitants? Get solution

12qr. Get solution

13qr. (a) On the AQI scale, when is a pollutant considered unhealthful? (b) On the AQI scale, how would air be described if it had an AQI value of 250 for ozone? (c) What would be the general health effects with an AQI value of 250 for ozone? What precautions should a person take with this value? Get solution

14qr. Why is a light wind, rather than a strong wind, more conducive to high concentrations of air pollution? Get solution

15qr. How does atmospheric stability influence the accumulation of air pollutants near the surface? Get solution

16qr. Why is it that polluted air and inversions seem to go hand in hand? Get solution

17qr. Major air pollution episodes are mainly associated with radiation inversions or subsidence inversions. Explain why. Get solution

18qr. Give several reasons why taller smokestacks are better than shorter ones at improving the air quality in their immediate area. Get solution

19qr. How does the mixing depth normally change during the course of a day? As the mixing depth changes, how does it affect the concentration of pollution near the surface? Get solution

20qr. For least-polluting conditions, what would be the best time of day for a farmer to burn agricultural debris? Explain your reasoning. Get solution

21qr. Explain why most severe episodes of air pollution are associated with slow moving or stagnant high pressure areas. Get solution

22qr. How does topography influence the concentration of pollutants in cities such as Los Angeles and Denver? In mountainous terrain? Get solution

23qr. List the factors that can lead to a major buildup of atmospheric pollution. Get solution

24qr. What is an urban heat island? Is it more strongly developed at night or during the day? Explain. Get solution

25qr. What causes the “country breeze”? Why is it usually more developed at night than during the day? Would it be more easily developed in summer or winter? Explain. Get solution

26qr. How can pollution play a role in influencing the precipitation downwind of certain large industrial complexes? Get solution

27qr. What is acid deposition? Why is acid deposition considered a serious problem in many regions of the world? How does precipitation become acidic? Get solution

Chapter #13 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. What methods do scientists use to determine climate conditions that have occurred in the past? Get solution

1qt. Ice cores extracted from Greenland and Antarctica have yielded valuable information on climate changes during the past few hundred thousand years. What do you feel might be some of the limitations in using ice core information to evaluate past climate changes? Get solution

2qr. Explain how the changing climate influenced the formation of the Bering land bridge. Get solution

2qt. When glaciation was at a maximum (about 18,000 years ago), was global precipitation greater or less than at present? Explain your reasoning. Get solution

3qr. How does today’s average global temperature compare with the average temperature during most of the past 1000 years? Get solution

3qt. Consider the following climate change scenario. Warming global temperatures increase saturation vapor pressures over the ocean. As more water evaporates, increasing quantities of water vapor build up in the troposphere. More clouds form as the water vapor condenses. The clouds increase the albedo, resulting in decreased amounts of solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface. Is this scenario plausible? What type(s) of feedback(s) is/are involved? What type of clouds (high or low)? Get solution

4qr. What is the Younger Dryas episode? When did it occur? Get solution

4qt. Are ice ages in the Northern Hemisphere more likely when the tilt of the earth is at a maximum or a minimum? Explain. Get solution

5qr. How does a positive feedback mechanism differ from a negative feedback mechanism? Is the water vapor–greenhouse feedback considered positive or negative? Explain. Get solution

5qt. Are ice ages in the Northern Hemisphere more likely when the sun is closest to the earth during summer or during winter? Explain. Get solution

6qr. How does the theory of plate tectonics explain climate change over periods of millions of years? Get solution

6qt. Get solution

7qr. Describe the Milankovitch theory of climatic change by explaining how each of the three cycles alters the amount of solar energy reaching the earth. Get solution

7qt. Why did periods of glacial advance in the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere tend to occur with colder summers, but not necessarily with colder winters? Get solution

8qr. Get solution

9qr. How do sulfate aerosols in the lower atmosphere affect surface air temperatures during the day? Get solution

10qr. Describe the scenario of nuclear winter. Get solution

11qr. Do volcanic eruptions rich in sulfur tend to warm or cool the earth’s surface? Explain. Get solution

12qr. Explain how variations in the sun’s energy output might influence global climate. Get solution

13qr. Climate models predict that increasing levels of CO2 will cause the mean global surface temperature to rise significantly by the year 2100. What other greenhouse gas must also increase in concentration in order for this condition to occur? Get solution

14qr. Describe some of the natural and human-induced radiative forcing agents and their effect on climate. Get solution

15qr. List five ways natural events can cause climate change. Get solution

16qr. List three ways human (anthropogenic) activities can cause climate change. Get solution

17qr. Describe how clouds influence the climate system. Get solution

18qr. In Fig. 13.18a, p. 419, explain why the actual rise in surface air temperature (gray line) is much greater than the projected rise in temperature due to natural forcing agents. Reference: Figure 13.18a: ... Get solution

19qr. Why do climate scientists now believe that most of the warming experienced during the last 50 years was due to increasing levels of greenhouse gases? Get solution

20qr. List some of the consequences that climate change might have on the atmosphere and its inhabitants. Get solution

21qr. Is CO2 the only greenhouse gas we should be concerned with for climate change? If not, what are the other gases? Get solution

Chapter #12 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. What factors determine the global pattern of precipitation? Get solution

1qt. Why do cities east of the Rockies, such as Denver, Colorado, get much more precipitation than cities east of the Sierra Nevada, such as Reno, Nevada? Get solution

2qr. Explain why, in North America, precipitation typically is a maximum along the West Coast in winter, a maximum on the Central Plains in summer, and fairly evenly distributed between summer and winter along the East Coast. Get solution

2qt. According to the Köppen system of climate classification, which type of climate is found in your area? Get solution

3qr. What climate information did Koppen use in classifying climates? Get solution

3qt. Los Angeles, Seattle, and Boston are all coastal cities, yet Boston has a continental rather than a marine climate. Explain why. Get solution

4qr. How did Koppen define a tropical climate? How did he define a polar climate? Get solution

4qt. Why are many structures in polar regions built on pilings? Get solution

5qr. According to Koppen’s climatic system (Fig. 12.7, pp. 376–377), what major climatic type is most abundant: (a) in North America; (b) in South America; (c) throughout the world? Reference: Figure 12.7: ... Get solution

5qt. Why are summer afternoon temperatures in a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) often higher than in a tropical wet climate (Af)? Get solution

6qr. What is the primary factor that makes a dry climate “dry”? Get solution

6qt. Why are humid subtropical climates (Cfa) found in regions bounded by 20° and 40° (N or S) latitudes, and nowhere else? Get solution

7qr. In which climatic region would each of the following be observed: tropical rainforest, xerophytes, steppe, taiga, tundra, and savanna? Get solution

7qt. In which of the following climate types is virga likely to occur most frequently: humid continental, arid desert, or polar tundra? Explain why. Get solution

8qr. What are the controlling factors (the major climatic controls) that produce the following climatic regions? (a) tropical wet and dry; (b) Mediterranean; (c) marine; (d) humid subtropical; (e) subpolar; (f) polar ice cap Get solution

8qt. As shown in Figure 12.19, p. 386, San Francisco and Sacramento, California, have similar mean annual temperatures but different annual temperature ranges. What factors control the annual temperature ranges at these two locations? Reference: Figure 12.19: ... Get solution

9qr. Why are marine climates (Cs) usually found on the west coast of continents? Get solution

9qt. Why is there a contrast in climate types on either side of the Rocky Mountains, but not on either side of the Appalachian Mountains? Get solution

10qr. Why are large annual temperature ranges characteristic of D-type climates? Get solution

10qt. Sketch graphs of annual variation of temperature and precipitation for a coastal location, and also for a location in the center of a large continent. Explain any differences in your graphs. Get solution

11qr. Why are D climates found in the Northern Hemisphere but not in the Southern Hemisphere? Get solution

11qt. On a blank map of the world, roughly outline where Köppen’s major climatic regions are located. Get solution

12qr. Explain why a tropical rainforest climate will support a tropical rainforest, while a tropical wet-and-dry climate will not. Get solution

12qt. Over the past 100 years or so the earth has warmed by more than 0.7°C (1.3°F). If this warming should continue over the next 100 years, explain how this rise in temperature might influence the boundary between C and D climates. How might the warming influence the boundary between D and E climates? Get solution

13qr. What is the primary distinction between a Cfa and a Dfa climate? Get solution

14qr. Explain how arid deserts can be found adjacent to oceans. Get solution

15qr. Why did Koppen use the 10°C (50°F) average temperature for July to distinguish between D and E climates? Get solution

16qr. What accounts for the existence of a BWk climate in the western Great Basin of North America? Get solution

17qr. Barrow, Alaska, receives a mere 11 cm (about 4.3 in.) of precipitation annually. Explain why its climate is not classified as arid or semi-arid. Get solution

18qr. Explain why subpolar climates are also known as boreal climates and taiga climates. Get solution

Chapter #11 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. What is a tropical (easterly) wave? How do these waves generally move in the Northern Hemisphere? Are showers found on the eastern or western side of the wave? Get solution

1qt. A hurricane just off the coast of northern Florida is moving northeastward, parallel to the eastern sea board. Suppose that you live in North Carolina along the coast. (a) How will the surface winds in your area change direction as the hurricane’s center passes due east of you? Illustrate your answer by making a sketch of the hurricane’s movement and the wind flow around it. (b) If the hurricane passes east of you, the strongest winds would most likely be blowing from which direction? Explain your answer. (Assume that the storm does not weaken as it moves northeastward.) (c) The lowest sea-level pressure would most likely occur with which wind direction? Explain. Get solution

2qr. Why are streamlines, rather than isobars, used on surface weather maps in the tropics? Get solution

2qt. Get solution

3qr. What is the name given to a hurricane-like storm that forms over the western North Pacific Ocean? Get solution

3qt. Give several reasons how a hurricane that once began to weaken can strengthen again. Get solution

4qr. Describe the horizontal and vertical structure of a hurricane. Get solution

4qt. Why are North Atlantic hurricanes more apt to form in October than in May? Get solution

5qr. Why are skies often clear or partly cloudy in a hurricane’s eye? Get solution

5qt. Explain why the ocean surface water temperature is usually cooler after the passage of a hurricane. (Hint: The answer is not because the hurricane extracts heat from the water.) Get solution

6qr. What conditions at the surface and aloft are necessary for hurricane development? Get solution

6qt. Suppose this year five tropical storms develop into full-fledged hurricanes over the North Atlantic Ocean. Would the name of the third hurricane begin with the letter C? Explain. Get solution

7qr. List three “triggers” that help in the initial stage of hurricane development. Get solution

7qt. You are in Darwin, Australia (on the north shore), and a hurricane approaches from the north. Where would the highest storm surge be, to the east or west? Explain. Get solution

8qr. (a) Hurricanes are sometimes described as a heat en gine. What is the “fuel” that drives the hurricane? (b) What determines the maximum strength (the highest winds) that the storm can achieve? Get solution

9qr. Would it be possible for a hurricane to form over land? Explain. Get solution

10qr. If a hurricane is moving westward at 10 knots, will the strongest winds be on its northern or southern side? Explain. If the same hurricane turns northward, will the strongest winds be on its eastern or western side? Get solution

11qr. What factors tend to weaken hurricanes? Get solution

12qr. Distinguish among a tropical depression, a tropical storm, and a hurricane. Get solution

13qr. In what ways is a hurricane different from a mid-latitude cyclone? In what ways are these two systems similar? Get solution

14qr. Why do most hurricanes move westward over tropical waters? Get solution

15qr. If the high winds of a hurricane are not responsible for inflicting the most damage, what is? Get solution

16qr. Most hurricane-related deaths are due to what? Get solution

17qr. Explain how a storm surge forms. How does it inflict damage in hurricane-prone areas? Get solution

18qr. Hurricanes are given names when the storm is in what stage of development? Get solution

19qr. When Hurricane Andrew moved over south Florida during August, 1992, what was it that caused the relatively small areas of extreme damage? Get solution

20qr. As Hurricane Katrina moved toward the Louisiana coast, it underwent eyewall replacement. What actually happened to the eyewall during this process? Get solution

21qr. How do meteorologists forecast the intensity and paths of hurricanes? Get solution

22qr. How does a hurricane watch differ from a hurricane warning? Get solution

23qr. Why have hurricanes been seeded with silver iodide? Get solution

24qr. Give two reasons why hurricanes are more likely to strike New Jersey than Oregon. Get solution

Chapter #10 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. What is a thunderstorm? Get solution

1qt. Why does the bottom half of a dissipating thunderstorm usually “disappear” before the top? Get solution

2qr. What atmospheric conditions are necessary for the development of ordinary cell (air mass) thunderstorms? Get solution

2qt. Sinking air warms, yet thunderstorm downdrafts are usually cold. Why? Get solution

3qr. Describe the stages of development of an ordinary cell (air mass) thunderstorm. Get solution

3qt. If you are confronted by a large tornado in an open field and there is no way that you can outrun it, your only recourse might be to run and lie down in a depression. If given the choice, when facing the tornado, would you run toward your left or toward your right as the tornado approaches? Explain your reasoning. Get solution

4qr. How do downdrafts form in ordinary cell thunderstorms? Get solution

4qt. Suppose while you are standing on a high mountain ridge a thundercloud passes overhead. What would be the wisest thing to do—stand upright? lie down? or crouch? Explain. Get solution

5qr. Why do ordinary cell thunderstorms most frequently form in the afternoon? Get solution

5qt. Tornadoes apparently form in the region of a strong updraft, yet they descend from the base of a cloud. Why? Get solution

6qr. Explain why ordinary cell thunderstorms tend to dissipate much sooner than multicell storms. Get solution

6qt. On a map of the United States, place the surface weather conditions (air masses, fronts, and so on) as well as weather conditions aloft (jet stream, and so on) that are necessary for the formation of most supercell thunderstorms. Get solution

7qr. How does the National Weather Service define a severe thunderstorm? Get solution

7qt. Suppose several of your friends went on a stormchasing adventure in the central United States. To help guide their chase, you stay behind, with an Internet-connected computer and a smart phone. Which current weather and forecast maps would you use to guide their storm chase? Explain why you choose those maps. Get solution

8qr. What atmospheric conditions are necessary for a multicell thunderstorm to form? Get solution

8qt. Get solution

9qr. (a) How do gust fronts form? (b) What type of weather does a gust front bring when it passes? Get solution

10qr. (a) Describe how a microburst forms. (b) Why is the term horizontal wind shear often used in conjunction with a microburst? Get solution

11qr. How do derechoes form? Get solution

12qr. How does a squall line differ from a Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC)? Get solution

13qr. Give a possible explanation for the generation of a pre-frontal squall-line thunderstorm. Get solution

14qr. How do supercell thunderstorms differ from ordinary cell (air mass) thunderstorms? Get solution

15qr. Describe the atmospheric conditions at the surface and aloft that are necessary for the development of most supercell thunderstorms. (Include in your answer the role that the low-level jet plays in the rotating updraft.) Get solution

16qr. When thunderstorms are training, what are they doing? Get solution

17qr. Get solution

18qr. Where does the highest frequency of thunderstorms occur in the United States? Why there? Get solution

19qr. Why is large hail more common in Kansas than in Florida? Get solution

20qr. Describe one process by which thunderstorms become electrified. Get solution

21qr. How is thunder produced? Get solution

22qr. Explain how a cloud-to-ground lightning stroke develops. Get solution

23qr. Why is it unwise to seek shelter under an isolated tree during a thunderstorm? If caught out in the open, what should you do? Get solution

24qr. What is a tornado? Give some statistics about size, wind speed, and movement. Get solution

25qr. What is the primary difference between a tornado and a funnel cloud? Get solution

26qr. Why do tornadoes frequently move from southwest to northeast? Get solution

27qr. Why should you not open windows when a tornado is approaching? Get solution

28qr. Why is the central part of the United States more susceptible to tornadoes than any other region of the world? Get solution

29qr. How does a tornado watch differ from a tornado warning? Get solution

30qr. If you are in a single-story home (without a basement) during a tornado warning, what should you do? Get solution

31qr. Supercell thunderstorms that produce tornadoes form in a region of strong vertical wind shear. Explain how the wind changes in speed and direction to produce this shear. Get solution

32qr. Explain how a nonsupercell tornado, such as a landspout, might form. Get solution

33qr. Describe how Doppler radar measures the winds inside a severe thunderstorm. Get solution

34qr. How has Doppler radar helped in the prediction of severe weather? Get solution

35qr. What atmospheric conditions lead to the formation of “fair weather” waterspouts? Get solution

Chapter #9 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. What is the function of the National Center for Environmental Prediction? Get solution

1qt. What types of watches and warnings are most commonly issued for your area? Get solution

2qr. How does a weather watch differ from a weather warning? Get solution

2qt. Since computer models have difficulty in adequately considering the effects of small-scale geographic features on a weather map, why don’t numerical weather forecasters simply reduce the grid spacing to, say, 1 kilometer on all models? Get solution

3qr. How does a prog differ from an analysis? Get solution

3qt. Suppose it’s warm and raining outside. A cold front will pass your area in 3 hours. Behind the front, it is cold and snowing. Make a persistence forecast for your area 6 hours from now. Would you expect this forecast to be correct? Explain. Now, make a forecast for your area using the steady-state or trend forecasting method. Get solution

4qr. In what ways have high-speed computers assisted the meteorologist in making weather forecasts? Get solution

4qt. Why isn’t the steady-state method very accurate when forecasting the weather more than a few hours into the future? What considerations can be taken into account to improve a steady-state forecast? Get solution

5qr. How are computer-generated weather forecasts prepared? Get solution

5qt. Go outside and observe the weather. Make a weather forecast using the weather signs you observe. Explain the rationale for your forecast. Get solution

6qr. What are some of the problems associated with computer-model forecasts? Get solution

6qt. Explain how the phrase “sensitive dependence on initial conditions” relates to the final outcome of a computer-based weather forecast. Get solution

7qr. List at least four tools a weather forecaster might use when making a short-range forecast. Get solution

7qt. Suppose the chance for a “White Christmas” at your home is 10 percent. Last Christmas was a white one. If for next year you forecast a “nonwhite” Christmas, will you have shown any skill if your forecast turns out to be correct? Explain. Get solution

8qr. Get solution

8qt. Get solution

9qr. Get solution

10qr. Describe four methods of forecasting the weather and give an example for each one. Get solution

11qr. How does pattern recognition aid a forecaster in making a prediction? Get solution

12qr. Suppose that where you live, the middle of January is typically several degrees warmer than the rest of the month if u forecast this “January thaw” for the month middle of next January what type of weather forecast will you have made? Get solution

13qr. (a) look out the window and make a persistence forecast for tomorrow at this time. (b) Did you use any skill in making this prediction? Get solution

14qr. How can ensemble forecasts improve medium range forecasts? Get solution

15qr. Explain how teleconnections are used in making a long-range seasonal outlook. Get solution

16qr. If today’s weather forecast calls for a “chance of snow,” what is the percentage probability that it will snow today? (Hint: See Table 9.1, p. 263). Reference: Table 9.1: ... Get solution

17qr. Do all accurate forecasts show skill on the part of the forecaster? Explain. Get solution

18qr. List three methods that you would use to predict the movement of a surface mid-latitude cyclonic storm. Get solution

19qr. Do monthly and seasonal forecasts make specific predictions of rain or snow? Explain. Get solution

Chapter #8 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. (a) What is an air mass? (b) If an area is described as a “good air-mass source region,” what information can you give about it? Get solution

1qt. If Lake Erie freezes over in January, is it still possible to have lake-effect snow on its eastern shores in February? Explain your answer. Get solution

2qr. How does a continental arctic air mass differ from a continental polar air mass? Get solution

2qt. Explain how an autumn anticyclone can bring record low temperatures and continental polar air to the southeastern United States and, only a day or so later, bring record high temperatures and maritime tropical air to the same region. Get solution

3qr. Why is continental polar air not welcome to the Central Plains in winter and yet very welcome in summer? Get solution

3qt. During the winter, cold-front weather is typically more violent than warm-front weather. Why is this so? Explain why this is not necessarily true during the summer. Get solution

4qr. What are lake-effect snows and how do they form? On which side of a lake do they typically occur? Get solution

4qt. You are in upstate New York and observe the wind shifting from the east to the south. This wind shift is accompanied by a sudden rise in both air temperature and dew-point temperature. What type of front is passing? Get solution

5qr. Explain why the central United States is not a good air-mass source region. Get solution

5qt. Why does the same cold front typically produce more rain over Kentucky than over western Kansas? Get solution

6qr. . List the temperature and moisture characteristics of each of the major air mass types. Get solution

6qt. Explain why the boundaries between neighboring air masses tend to be more distinct during the winter than during the summer? Get solution

7qr. Which air mass only forms in summer over the southwestern United States? Get solution

7qt. Sketch a Southern Hemisphere mid-latitude cyclonic storm, complete with isobars and at least two types of fronts. Compare and contrast this Southern Hemisphere cyclone with its Northern Hemisphere counterpart. Get solution

8qr. Why are maritime polar air masses along the east coast of the United States usually colder than those along the nation’s west coast? Why are they also less prevalent? Get solution

8qt. Why are mid-latitude cyclones described as waves? Get solution

9qr. Explain how the air flow aloft regulates the movement of air masses. Get solution

9qt. Explain how this can happen: At the same time a midlatitude cyclonic storm over the eastern United States is moving northeastward, a large surface high-pressure area over the northern plains is moving southeastward. Get solution

10qr. The boundaries between neighboring air masses tend to be more distinct during the winter than during the summer. Explain why. Get solution

10qt. Would a wave cyclone intensify or dissipate if the upper trough was located to the east of the surface low-pressure area? Explain your answer with the aid of a diagram. Get solution

11qr. What type of air mass would be responsible for the weather conditions listed below? (a) hot, muggy summer weather in the Midwest and the East; (b) refreshing, cool, dry breezes after a long summer hot spell on the Central Plains; (c) persistent cold, damp weather with drizzle along the East Coast; (d) drought with high temperatures over the Great Plains; (e) record-breaking low temperatures over a large portion of North America; (f) cool weather with showers over the Pacific Northwest; (g) daily afternoon thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast Get solution

12qr. Describe the typical characteristics of: (a) a warm front (b) a cold front (c) an occluded front Get solution

13qr. Sketch side views of a model showing a typical cold front, warm front, and cold-occluded front. Include in each diagram cloud types and patterns, areas of precipitation, surface winds, and relative temperature on each side of the front. Get solution

14qr. Describe the stages of a developing mid-latitude cyclonic storm using the polar front theory. Get solution

15qr. Why do mid-latitude cyclones tend to develop along the polar front? Get solution

16qr. List four regions in North America where mid latitude cyclones tend to develop. Get solution

17qr. Why is it important that for a surface low to develop or intensify, its upper-level counterpart must be to the left (or west) of the surface storm? Get solution

18qr. If upper-level diverging air above a surface area of low pressure exceeds converging air around the surface low, will the surface low weaken or intensify? Explain. Get solution

19qr. Describe some of the necessary ingredients (upper-air support) for a wave cyclone to develop into a huge mid-latitude cyclonic storm system. Get solution

20qr. Explain the role that upper-level diverging air plays in the development of a mid-latitude cyclone. Get solution

21qr. How does the polar jet stream influence the formation of a mid-latitude cyclone? Get solution

22qr. Explain why, in the eastern half of the United States, a mid-latitude cyclonic storm often moves eastward or northeastward. Get solution

Chapter #7 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. Describe the various scales of motion and give an example of each. Get solution

1qt. Suppose you are fishing in a mountain stream during the early morning. Is the wind more likely to be blowing upstream or downstream? Explain why. Get solution

2qr. What is wind shear and how does it relate to clear air turbulence? Get solution

2qt. Why, in Antarctica, are winds on the high plateaus usually lighter than winds in steep, coastal valleys? Get solution

3qr. Using a diagram, explain how a thermal circulation develops. Get solution

3qt. What atmospheric conditions must change so that the westerly flowing polar front jet stream reverses direction and becomes an easterly flowing jet stream? Get solution

4qr. Why does a sea breeze at the surface blow from sea to land and a land breeze from land to sea? Get solution

4qt. After a winter snowstorm, Cheyenne, Wyoming, reports a total snow accumulation of 48 cm (19 in.), while the maximum depth in the surrounding countryside is only 28 cm (11 in.). If the storm’s intensity and duration were practically the same for a radius of 50 km around Cheyenne, explain why Cheyenne received so much more snow. Get solution

5qr. (a) Briefly explain how the monsoon wind system develops over eastern and southern Asia. (b) Why in India is the summer monsoon wet and the winter monsoon dry? Get solution

5qt. The prevailing winds in southern Florida are northeasterly. Knowing this, would you expect the strongest sea breezes to be along the east or west coast of southern Florida? What about the strongest land breezes? Get solution

6qr. Which wind will produce clouds: a valley breeze or a mountain breeze? Why? Get solution

6qt. Explain why icebergs tend to move at right angles to the direction of the wind. Get solution

7qr. What are katabatic winds? How do they form? Get solution

7qt. Give two reasons why pilots would prefer to fly in the core of a jet stream rather than just above or below it. Get solution

8qr. Explain why chinook winds are warm and dry. Get solution

8qt. Why do the major ocean currents in the North Indian Ocean reverse direction between summer and winter? Get solution

9qr. (a) What is the primary source of warmth for a Santa Ana wind? (b) What atmospheric conditions contribute to the development of a strong Santa Ana wind? Get solution

9qt. Explain why the surface water temperature along the northern California coast is warmer in winter than it is in summer. Get solution

10qr. Describe how dust devils usually form. Get solution

10qt. The Coriolis force deflects moving water to the right of its intended path in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left of its intended path in the Southern Hemisphere. Why, then, does upwelling tend to occur along the western margin of continents in both hemispheres? Get solution

11qr. Draw a large circle. Now, place the major surface semi permanent pressure systems and the wind belts of the world at their appropriate latitudes. Get solution

12qr. According to Fig. 7.25 (p. 203), most of the United States is located in what wind belt? Reference: Figure 7.25: ... Get solution

13qr. Explain how and why the average surface pressure features shift from summer to winter. Get solution

14qr. Explain why summers along the West Coast of the United States tend to be dry, whereas along the East Coast summers tend to be wet. Get solution

15qr. How does the polar front influence the development of the polar front jet stream? Get solution

16qr. Why is the polar jet stream more strongly developed in winter? Get solution

17qr. Explain the relationship between the general circulation of air and the circulation of surface ocean currents. Get solution

18qr. . Describe how the winds along the west coast of North America produce upwelling. Get solution

19qr. (a) What is a major El Niño event? (b) What happens to the surface pressure at opposite ends of the Pacific Ocean during the Southern Oscillation? (c) Describe how an ENSO event may influence the weather in different parts of the world. Get solution

20qr. What are the conditions over the tropical eastern and central Pacific Ocean during the phenomenon known as La Niña? Get solution

21qr. How does the positive (warm) phase of the Northern Atlantic Oscillation differ from the negative (cold) phase? Get solution

22qr. During the negative (cold) phase of the Arctic Oscillation when Greenland is experiencing mild winters, what type of winters (cold or mild) is Northern Europe usually experiencing? Get solution

23qr. Describe the ocean surface temperatures associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Get solution

Chapter #6 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. Explain why atmospheric pressure always decreases with increasing altitude. Get solution

1qt. The gas law states that pressure is proportional to temperature times density. Use the gas law to explain why a basketball seems to deflate when placed in a refrigerator. Get solution

2qr. What might cause the air pressure to change at the bottom of an air column? Get solution

2qt. Can the station pressure ever exceed the sea-level pressure? Explain. Get solution

3qr. Why is the decrease of air pressure with increasing altitude more rapid when the air is cold? Get solution

3qt. Get solution

4qr. What is considered standard sea-level atmospheric pressure in millibars? In inches of mercury? In hectopascals? Get solution

4qt. The pressure gradient force causes air to move from higher pressures toward lower pressures (perpendicular to the isobars), yet actual winds rarely blow in this fashion. Explain why they don’t. Get solution

5qr. Get solution

5qt. The Coriolis force causes winds to deflect to the right of their intended path in the Northern Hemisphere, yet around a surface low-pressure area, winds blow counterclockwise, appearing to bend to their left. Explain why. Get solution

6qr. With the aid of a diagram, describe how a mercury barometer works. Get solution

6qt. Explain why, on a sunny day, an aneroid barometer would indicate “stormy” weather when carried to the top of a hill or mountain. Get solution

7qr. Get solution

7qt. Pilots often use the expression “high to low, look out below.” In terms of upper-level temperature and pressure, explain what this can mean. Get solution

8qr. How does sea-level pressure differ from station pressure? Can the two ever be the same? Explain. Get solution

8qt. Get solution

9qr. Why will Denver, Colorado, always have a lower station pressure than Chicago, Illinois? Get solution

9qt. If the earth were not rotating, how would the wind blow with respect to centers of high and low pressure? Get solution

10qr. What are isobars? In what increment are they usually drawn on a surface weather map? Get solution

10qt. Why are surface winds that blow over the ocean closer to being geostrophic than those that blow over the land? Get solution

11qr. On an upper-level map, is cold air aloft generally associated with low or high pressure? What about warm air aloft? Get solution

11qt. In the Northern Hemisphere, you observe surface winds shift from N to NE to E, then to SE. From this observation, you determine that a west-to-east moving high-pressure area (anticyclone) has passed north of your location. Describe with the aid of a diagram how you were able to come to this conclusion. Get solution

12qr. What do Newton’s first and second laws of motion tell us? Get solution

12qt. As a cruise ship crosses the equator, the entertainment director exclaims that water in a tub will drain in the opposite direction now that the ship is in the Southern Hemisphere. Give two reasons to the entertainment director why this assertion is not so. Get solution

13qr. What does a steep (or strong) pressure gradient mean? How would it appear on a surface map? Get solution

14qr. Get solution

15qr. What is the name of the force that initially sets the air in motion and, hence, causes the wind to blow? Get solution

16qr. Explain why, on a map, closely spaced isobars (or contours) indicate strong winds, and widely spaced isobars (or contours) indicate weak winds. Get solution

17qr. What does the Coriolis force do to moving air (a) in the Northern Hemisphere? (b) in the Southern Hemisphere? Get solution

18qr. Explain how each of the following influences the Coriolis force: (a) wind speed (b) latitude. Get solution

19qr. Why do upper-level winds in the middle latitudes of both hemispheres generally blow from west to east? Get solution

20qr. What is a geostrophic wind? On an upper-level chart, how does it blow? Get solution

21qr. What are the forces that affect the horizontal movement of air? Get solution

22qr. Describe how the wind blows around high-pressure areas and low-pressure areas aloft and near the surface (a) in the Northern Hemisphere; and (b) in the Southern Hemisphere. Get solution

23qr. If the clouds overhead are moving from north to south, would the upper-level center of low pressure be to the east or west of you? Get solution

24qr. On a surface map, why do surface winds tend to cross the isobars and flow from higher pressure toward lower pressure? Get solution

25qr. Since there is always an upward-directed pressure gradient force, why doesn’t air rush off into space? Get solution

26qr. List as many ways as you can of determining wind direction and wind speed. Get solution

27qr. Below is a list of instruments. Describe how each one is able to measure wind speed, wind direction, or both. (a) wind vane (b) cup anemometer (c) aerovane (skyvane) (d) radiosonde (e) satellite (f) wind profiler Get solution

28qr. An upper wind direction is reported as 225°. From what compass direction is the wind blowing? Get solution

Chapter #5 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. What is an adiabatic process? Get solution

1qt. Suppose a mountain climber is scaling the outside of a tall skyscraper. Two thermometers (shielded from the sun) hang from the climber’s belt. One thermometer hangs freely, while the other is enclosed in a partially inflated balloon. As the climber scales the building, describe the change in temperature measured by each thermometer. Get solution

2qr. How would one normally obtain the environmental lapse rate? Get solution

2qt. Where would you expect the moist adiabatic rate to be greater: in the tropics or near the North Pole? Explain why. Get solution

3qr. Why are the moist and dry adiabatic rates of cooling different? Get solution

3qt. What changes in weather conditions near the earth’s surface are needed to transform an absolutely stable atmosphere into an absolutely unstable atmosphere? Get solution

4qr. How can the atmosphere be made more stable? More unstable? Get solution

4qt. In the middle latitudes, under what circumstances can a rain shadow be formed on the western side of a mountain range? Get solution

5qr. If the atmosphere is conditionally unstable, what does this mean? What condition is necessary to bring on instability? Get solution

5qt. A major snowstorm occurred in northern New Jersey. Three volunteer weather observers measured the snowfall. Observer #1 measured the depth of newly fallen snow every hour. At the end of the storm, Observer #1 added up the measurements and came up with a total of 12 inches of new snow. Observer #2 measured the depth of new snow twice: once in the middle of the storm and once at the end, and came up with a total snowfall of 10 inches. Observer #3 measured the new snowfall only once, after the storm had stopped, and reported 8.4 inches. Which of the three observers do you feel has the correct snowfall total? List at least five possible reasons why the snowfall totals were different. Get solution

6qr. Explain why an inversion represents an extremely stable atmosphere. Get solution

6qt. Why is a warm, tropical cumulus cloud more likely to produce precipitation than a cold, stratus cloud? Get solution

7qr. What type of clouds would you most likely expect to see in a stable atmosphere? In a conditionally unstable atmosphere? Get solution

7qt. Suppose a thick nimbostratus cloud contains ice crystals and super cooled cloud droplets all about the same size. Which precipitation process will be most important in producing rain from this cloud? Why? Get solution

8qr. Why are cumulus clouds more frequently observed during the afternoon? Get solution

8qt. Clouds that form over water are usually more efficient in producing precipitation than clouds that form over land. Why do you think this is so? Get solution

9qr. There are usually large spaces of blue sky between cumulus clouds. Explain why this is so. Get solution

9qt. Everyday in summer a blizzard occurs over the Great Plains. Explain where and why. Get solution

10qr. Why do most thunderstorms have flat tops? Get solution

10qt. It is –12°C (10°F) in Albany, New York, and freezing rain is falling. Can you explain why? Draw a vertical profile of the air temperature (a sounding) that illustrates why freezing rain is occurring at the surface. Get solution

11qr. List four primary ways in which clouds form. Get solution

11qt. When falling snowflakes become mixed with sleet, why is this condition often followed by the snowflakes changing into rain? Get solution

12qr. Explain why rain shadows form on the downwind (leeward) side of mountains. Get solution

12qt. Why are ice storms not associated with cumuliform clouds, such as cumulus congestus and cumulonimbus? Get solution

13qr. On which side of a mountain (windward or leeward) would lenticular clouds most likely form? Get solution

14qr. What is the primary difference between a cloud droplet and a raindrop? Get solution

15qr. Why do typical cloud droplets seldom reach the ground as rain? Get solution

16qr. Describe how the process of collision and coalescence produces rain. Get solution

17qr. How does the ice-crystal (Bergeron) process produce precipitation? What is the main premise behind this process? Get solution

18qr. Explain the main principle behind cloud seeding. Get solution

19qr. Explain how clouds can be seeded naturally. Get solution

20qr. How does rain differ from drizzle? Get solution

21qr. Why do heavy showers usually fall from cumuliform clouds? Why does steady precipitation normally fall from stratiform clouds? Get solution

22qr. Why is it never too cold to snow? Get solution

23qr. How would you be able to distinguish between virga and fallstreaks? Get solution

24qr. What is the difference between freezing rain and sleet? Get solution

25qr. How do the atmospheric conditions that produce sleet differ from those that produce hail? Get solution

26qr. Describe how a standard rain gauge measures precipitation. Get solution

27qr. (a) What is Doppler radar? (b) How does Doppler radar measure the intensity of precipitation? Get solution

Chapter #4 Solutions - Essentials of Meteorology - C Donald Ahrens - 6th Edition

1qr. Briefly explain the movement of water in the hydrologic cycle. Get solution

1qt. Use the concepts of condensation and saturation to explain why eyeglasses often fog up after coming indoors on a cold day. Get solution

2qr. How does condensation differ from precipitation? Get solution

2qt. After completing a grueling semester of meteorological course work, you call your travel agent to arrange a much-needed summer vacation. When your agent suggests a trip to the desert, you decline because of a concern that the dry air will make your skin feel uncomfortable. The travel agent assures you that almost daily “desert relative humidities are above 90 percent.” Could the agent be correct? Explain. Get solution

3qr. What are condensation nuclei and why are they important in our atmosphere? Get solution

3qt. Can the actual vapor pressure ever be greater than the saturation vapor pressure? Explain. Get solution

4qr. In a volume of air, how does the actual vapor pressure differ from the saturation vapor pressure? When are they the same? Get solution

4qt. Suppose while measuring the relative humidity using a sling psychrometer, you accidentally moisten both the dry-bulb and the wet-bulb thermometers. Will the relative humidity you determine be higher or lower than the air’s true relative humidity? Get solution

5qr. What does saturation vapor pressure primarily depend upon? Get solution

5qt. A large family lives in northern Minnesota. This family gets together for a huge dinner three times a year: on Thanksgiving, on Christmas, and on the March equinox. The Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners consist of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, and lots of boiled vegetables. The March dinner is pizza. The air temperature inside the home is about the same for all three meals (70°F), yet everyone remarks about how “warm, cozy, and comfortable” the air feels during the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and how “cool” the inside air feels during the equinox meal. Explain to the family members why they might feel “warmer” inside the house during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and “cooler” during the March equinox. (The answer has nothing to do with the amount or type of food consumed.) Get solution

6qr. (a) What does the relative humidity represent? (b) When the relative humidity is given, why is it also important to know the air temperature? (c) Explain two ways the relative humidity may be changed. (d) During what part of the day is the relative humidity normally lowest? Normally highest? Get solution

6qt. Why is advection fog more common along the coast of southern California than along the coast of southern Virginia? Get solution

7qr. Why do hot and humid summer days usually feel hotter than hot and dry summer days? Get solution

7qt. With all other factors being equal, would you expect a lower minimum temperature on a night with cirrus clouds or on a night with stratocumulus clouds? Explain your answer. Get solution

8qr. Why is cold polar air described as “dry” when the relative humidity of that air is very high? Get solution

8qt. Explain why icebergs are frequently surrounded by fog. Get solution

9qr. Why is the wet-bulb temperature a good measure of how cool human skin can become? Get solution

9qt. While driving from cold air (well below freezing) into much warmer air (well above freezing), frost forms on the windshield of the car. Does the frost form on the inside or outside of the windshield? How can the frost form when the air is so warm? Get solution

10qr. (a) What is the dew-point temperature? (b) How is the difference between dew point and air temperature related to the relative humidity? Get solution

10qt. Why do relative humidities seldom reach 100 percent in polluted air? Get solution

11qr. How can you obtain both the dew point and the relative humidity using a sling psychrometer? Get solution

11qt. If all fog droplets gradually settle earthward, explain how fog can last (without disappearing) for many days at a time. Get solution

12qr. Explain how dew, frozen dew, and visible frost form. Get solution

12qt. The air temperature during the night cools to the dew point in a deep layer, producing fog. Before the fog formed, the air temperature cooled each hour about 3°F. After the fog formed, the air temperature cooled by only 1°F each hour. Give two reasons why the air cooled more slowly after the fog formed. Get solution

13qr. List the two primary ways in which fog forms. Get solution

13qt. Why can you see your breath on a cold morning? Does the air temperature have to be below freezing for this to occur? Get solution

14qr. Describe the conditions that are necessary for the formation of: (a) radiation fog (b) advection fog Get solution

14qt. The sky is overcast and it is raining. Explain how you could tell if the cloud above you is a nimbostratus or a cumulonimbus. Get solution

15qr. How does evaporation (mixing) fog form? Get solution

15qt. You are sitting inside your house on a sunny afternoon. The shades are drawn and you look at the window and notice the sun disappears for about 10 seconds. The alternate light and dark period lasts for nearly 30 minutes. Are the clouds passing in front of the sun cirrocumulus, altocumulus, stratocumulus, or cumulus? Give a reasonable explanation for your answer. Get solution

16qr. Clouds are most generally classified by height above the earth’s surface. List the major height categories and the cloud types associated with each. Get solution

17qr. How can you distinguish altostratus clouds from cirrostratus clouds? Get solution

18qr. Which clouds are normally associated with each of the following characteristics: (a) mackerel sky (b) lightning (c) halos (d) hailstones (e) mares’ tails (f) anvil top (g) light continuous rain or snow (h) heavy rain showers Get solution