Post on 28-Jan-2020
Unit 8: Meteorology
How is Earth’s weather influenced by different atmospheric variables?
How can we predict weather?
Regent’s Earth Science
Ms. Martino
Name: ____________________________________
2 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Topics
Weather
Structure of Earth’s atmosphere
Air Temperature
Air pressure
High vs. low-pressure systems
Wind
Land breeze and sea breezes
Global Winds
Moisture in atmosphere
Relative Humidity and Dew Point
Condensation and Precipitation
Synoptic weather maps
Station Models
Air masses
Weather fronts
Hazardous Weather and Emergency Preparedness
3 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Meteorology Need to Know Facts
1. A barometer measures air pressure
2. Air pressure or barometric pressure is caused by weight of the air
3. An anemometer measures wind speed
4. Wind is named for the direction it comes from
5. Wind is caused by differences in air pressure, H L
6. Isobars close together indicate a fast wind speed --- far apart, calm winds
7. The weather in a high is / happy, nice, high and dry (sunny no precipitation)
8. The weather in a low is / lousy, bad, wet (cloudy and precipitation)
9. Cold air is high pressure because the molecules are close together, and weighs more
10. Hot air is low pressure because the molecules are far apart, and there is mad room for water
11. The circulation around a low pressure system is / CLICC, (Cyclone, Low-pressure, Inward, Counter Clockwise)
12. The circulation around a high pressure system is / AHOC (Anticyclone. High-pressure, Outward, Clockwise)
13. Sea Breeze / daytime, land is hot (Low Pressure), ocean is cold (High Pressure) winds go H L
14. Land breeze occurs at / night and is the exact opposite of the conditions above
15. Coriolis effect / winds and ocean currents deflected due to Earth’s rotation
16. Sling psychrometer has a wet and dry bulb to measure dew point and relative humidity
17. The closer air temperature is to the dew point the greater the chance of precipitation
18. Dewpoint temperature is the temperature at which the air is saturated (filled) with water
19. Relative humidity is the percent of water in the air
20. 100 % relative humidity = precipitation, clouds, and/or fog
21. Warm air is capable of holding more water vapor than cold air
22. Clouds form when warm, moist air rises, expands, cools, & condenses (at the dew point!)
23. Cloud droplets form on tiny dust particles in the air called condensation nuclei
24. Weather systems in the US usually move from west to east (with a hook to the NE)
25. The 500 rule says pressure over 500 add a 9, below 500 add a 10, and always add a decimal
26. Fronts occur where air masses meet, precipitation likely.
27. Behind a cold front air is cold and dry (cP)
28. Behind a warm front air is warm and moist (mT)
29. At the cold front air is very unstable, thunderstorm occur (short, heavy rain)
30. In front of a warm front air is stable long, drizzle occurs (long, light rain)
31. Hurricanes form over warm oceans in summer and autumn
32. Hurricanes lose strength as they move over land or cool water
33. To prepare for a hurricane: prepare an escape (evacuation) route, learn first aid, tape or board up windows, store
up food, water and candles
34. Tornadoes are short lived (a minute or less) and small in size – prepare by going to the basement
4 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
The Structure of Earth’s Atmosphere
Weather affects our lives each day; what we wear, where we go, do we have school or not? Every decision can
be affected by the weather. We ask the meteorologist to forecast (predict) the weather; sometimes they are
right and sometimes they are wrong. Forecasting the weather is not an easy task.
Weather – ___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Meteorology – ________________________________________________________________
Changes in weather are due to ________________ _________________ of land masses, oceans,
and the atmosphere
o _________ latitudes on earth receive ___________ sunlight. (_______ intense)
o _________ latitudes receive _____________ sunlight. (_______ intense)
Where does all weather on Earth? _________________________________________
The Origin of the Atmosphere
1. The gases that made up our early atmosphere likely came
from volcanoes through the process of
_________________________________.
2. Large amounts of _____________________ from
these volcanoes eventually condensed to form the oceans.
3. The first life forms converted carbon dioxide into oxygen
to form our modern atmosphere.
Today’s Atmosphere
1. Today’s atmosphere (troposphere) is made
mostly of what two gases?
_______________________
_______________________
5 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Directions: Fill in the layers of the atmosphere, interfaces and answer the questions below.
Questions:
1. What is the temperature of the atmosphere at an altitude of 80 kilometers? _____________
2. What layer(s) of the atmosphere can the temperature be -75ºC? _____________________
3. What is the altitude of the tropopause? ______________________________________
4. What is the temperature range of the mesosphere? ______________________________
5. What layer of the atmosphere is the O-Zone found in? ____________________________
6. What is the function of the O-Zone layer? ____________________________________
7. Which statement most accurately describes the Earth's atmosphere?
a. The atmosphere is layered, with each layer possessing distinct characteristics.
b. The atmosphere is a shell of gases surrounding most of the Earth.
c. The atmosphere's altitude is less than the depth of the ocean.
d. The atmosphere is more dense than the hydrosphere but less dense than the lithosphere.
8. What do the tropopause, stratopause, and mesopause all have in common?
a. Each is a point of maximum temperature in its layer of the atmosphere.
b. Each is an interface between two layers of the atmosphere.
c. Each is a region of increasing pressure within the atmosphere.
d. Each is a zone of decreasing water vapor content within the atmosphere.
“Pause” – the ___________________
(boundary) between layers is called a “pause” and
determined by where the
____________________ trend changes
6 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Air Temperature
Temperature – ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Instrument used to measure temperature: ____________________________
Temperature is shown on a weather map with: _____________________
Temperatures on earth following a ________________ pattern (easily predicted).
Temperature is measured in:
________________________
________________________
________________________
ESRT page ______ - “Temperature”
Convert the following temperatures
Fahrenheit (°F) Celsius (°C) Kelvin (K)
20
70
260
60
40
290
Fahrenheit (°F) Celsius (°C) Kelvin (K)
Water boils
Water Freezes
Body Temperature
Room temperature
Tem
per
atu
re
Time of Day
Sun
rise
Sun
set
NO
ON
Tem
per
atu
re
Time of Year
Jan
uar
y
Dec
emb
er
Jun
e
Northern Hemisphere
Tem
pe
ratu
re
Time of Year
Jan
uar
y
Dec
emb
er
Jun
e
Southern Hemisphere
7 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Air Pressure
Air Pressure – ________________________________________________________________
Sometimes called: ____________________________________, or
___________________________________
Instrument used to measure pressure: ____________________________
Pressure is shown on a weather map with: _________________________
Factors affecting pressure:
Changes in air pressure, depend on ______________, ______________ and ______________.
As the air pressure pushes on the surface of the mercury in the
dish, the mercury travels up the tube.
As pressure increases, the mercury rises higher in the tube
o ___________ air sinks – causes ___________ pressure
When pressure decreases, the mercury sinks out of the tube
o __________ air rises – causes ____________ pressure
Pressure is measured in:
_____________________
_____________________
ESRT page _______ “Pressure” - Convert the following pressures
Inches of Hg Millibars
29.06
29.94
30.50
29.44
Inches of Hg Millibars
1011.0
1021.0
1035.0
991.0
Tem
per
atu
re
Pressure
Alt
itu
de
Pressure
Hu
mid
ity
Pressure
Normal pressure at sea level is ______ atmosphere and is equal to:
________ millibars and _______ inches of Hg
8 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
High vs. Low Air Pressure
Air Pressure - ____________________________________________________________
Air is a mixture of gases with molecules that are fast moving and far apart
Air pressure __________________________ as you decrease your elevation
Air pressure __________________________ as you increase your elevation
Characteristics of Low Pressure zones:
Also called: ____________________
Air temperature: __________________
Air ___________.
_________________ form.
Surface wind directions:
o ___________________________
o ___________________________
Remember: CLICC
Characteristics of High Pressure zones:
Also called: ______________________
Air Temperature: _____________
Air ____________.
No ___________.
Surface wind direction:
o ________________________
o ________________________
Remember: AHOC
L
H
9 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Wind
Wind – ______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Winds are caused by the ______________ ________________ of Earth
o Land vs. Water: __________________________________________
o Latitude: ______________________________________________
o Color/texture: ___________________________________________
Winds always blow from regions of ___________ to ___________ pressure
o Instrument used to measure wind direction: ______________________
Wind speed is determined by pressure gradient – ____________________
_________________________________________________________
The bigger the pressure gradient, the ________________ the wind.
The smaller the pressure gradient, the ______________ the wind.
o Instrument used to measure wind speed: _______________________
o Wind speed in measured in: ____________ and _________________
Isobars close together = ________ wind Isobars far apart = ________ wind
**Remember**
Changes in air pressure cause wind movement, so the
lines on this map are called: _________________
Label the region of high and low pressure on the
map.
10 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Practice Regents Questions:
1. The diagram below represents a section of a
weather map showing high- and low-pressure
systems. The lines represent isobars.
At which point is the windspeed greatest? _____
How do you know? ______________________
___________________________________
2. Winds are blowing from high-pressure to low-pressure systems over identical ocean surfaces. Which
diagram represents the area of greatest windspeed? [Arrows indicate wind direction.]
3. Which map best represents the surface wind pattern associated with high-pressure and low-pressure
systems in the Northern Hemisphere?
4. Within a low-pressure system, the probability of precipitation is high because the air is generally
a. dry and rising
b. dry and sinking
c. moist and rising
d. moist and sinking
5. On the map to the right, draw two additional isobars
around the outside of the 1000-mb isobar in a way that
indicates that the strongest winds are west of the low-
pressure center.
A B C D
A B C D
11 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Land Breezes vs Sea Breezes
Sea Breeze – cool breeze from water to land
during the daytime
Land heats ______________ than water
(__________ specific heat)
The air over land to become less
__________ and ___________
Cool air over _____________ moves in to
replace the rising warm air
Wind blows from ________ to ________
Land Breeze – cool breeze from the land to
water at night
Land cools more ____________ than
water (lower specific heat)
The air over the land to becomes
________ dense and _____________
Warm air over the water __________
(less dense)
Cooler, dense air replaces the risen warm
air over the water
Wind blows from _______ to _______
Heat is circulating through
____________________________ currents.
12 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Global Winds
Coriolis Effect – _______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Winds are deflected to the _______________ in the ________________ hemisphere
Winds are deflected to the ______________ in the ________________ hemisphere
High Pressure Low Pressure
Temperature
Air Rising or Sinking
Clouds or no clouds
Clockwise or Counterclockwise
Converging (inward) or diverging
(outward) winds
Precipitation or no Precipitation
Draw the arrows to show the
wind direction around the areas
of high and low pressure.
H
L
Planetary winds: ESRT page _______
Due the Coriolis effect, winds moving away
from a high-pressure zone are deflected.
This results in planetary wind belts where
winds generally blow in one direction –
___________________________
Fill in the diagram to the right.
1. Draw the wind arrows illustrating the direction
and deflection.
2. Label the areas that would be wet or dry.
3. Label the areas that would be high pressure or
low pressure.
13 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Practice Regents Questions:
1. The cross section to the right shows a sea breeze
blowing from the ocean toward the land. The air
pressure at the land surface is 1013 millibars. The
air pressure at the ocean surface a few miles from
the shore is most likely
a. 994 mb
b. 1005 mb
c. 1013 mb
d. 1017 mb
2. Why are most beaches often considerably cooler than nearby inland locations on hot summer
afternoons?
a. A land breeze develops due to the lower specific heat of water and the higher specific heat of
land.
b. A sea breeze develops due to the higher specific heat of water and the lower specific heat of land.
c. The beaches are closer to the Equator than the inland locations are.
d. The beaches are farther from the Equator than the inland locations are.
3. In the Northern Hemisphere, planetary winds deflect to the
a. right, due to the Coriolis effect
b. right, due to the Doppler effect
c. left, due to the Coriolis effect
d. left, due to the Doppler effect
4. Wind moves from regions of
a. high temperature toward regions of low temperature
b. high pressure toward regions of low pressure
c. high precipitation toward regions of low precipitation
d. high humidity toward regions of low humidity
5. A high-pressure center is generally characterized by
a. cool, wet weather
b. cool, dry weather
c. warm, wet weather
d. warm, dry weather
14 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Moisture in the Atmosphere
Water Vapor – ________________________________________________________________
Water enters the atmosphere through _____________________ and ____________________
As temperature increases, the amount of water vapor the air can hold
_______________.
Saturation – when the air _____________________________
________________________________________________
o Saturation occurs when the rate of ____________________
is equal to the rate of _________________________
Factors affecting rate of Evaporation:
1. Temperature – as temperature increases, the rate of evaporation _______________ (T ↑ = Evap ↑)
2. Humidity – as humidity increases, the rate of evaporation __________________ (H ↑ = Evap ↓)
3. Wind – as wind increases, the rate of evaporation _____________________ (W ↑ = Evap ↑)
4. Surface Area – as surface area increases, rate of evaporation _________________ (SA ↑ = Evap ↑)
Humidity – __________________________________________________________________
Absolute Humidity – the actual amount of water vapor in the air
Relative Humidity (%) – ___________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
o Always given as a ______________________ (%)
o For example: 50% relative humidity means… the air is holding _________ of the water vapor
that it is ______________ of holding.
o 100% relative humidity means… the air is holding _________ of the water vapor that it can
hold. In other words, the air is ______________________.
Instruments used to measure relative humidity:
Wat
er
Vap
or
ho
ldin
g ca
pac
ity
Temperature
15 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Changes in Relative Humidity
Relative humidity will change with a change in air temperature:
If the amount of water stays the same, but the temperature decreases, the relative
humidity will _____________________ because the water fills up the
smaller space of air.
If the amount of water stays the same, but the temperature increases, the relative
humidity will ____________________ because the water does not fill up the
larger space of air.
Relative Humidity will change with a change in moisture content:
If the moisture content of the air increases and
the temperature remains the same, the relative
humidity will increase
Rel
ativ
e H
um
idit
y
Temperature
Rel
ativ
e H
um
idit
y
Moisture
Water vapor
Warm air
moisture capacity
Cold air moisture
capacity
The warm air has the capacity
to hold more water vapor:
R.H. = __________ %
Air temp. = 70oF
The cold air is holding as
much water vapor as it can:
R.H. = __________ %
Air temp. = 50oF
R.H. = __________ %
Air temp. = 70oF
R.H. = __________ %
Air temp. = 70oF
At what time of the day is the relative humidity
highest? ___________
Is the air temperature high or low? _________
At what time of the day is the relative humidity
lowest? ____________
Is the air temperature high or low? __________
16 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Determining Relative Humidity and Dew Point Temperatures
Dew Point Temperature – _______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Depends on: ____________________________________________________
When the air temperature and dew point temperature are the same, the air is
_____________________ and _______________________ will take place.
Instrument used to measure dew point temperature: ___________________________ or
___________________________
Parts of a psychrometer:
Dry Bulb – ______________________________________________________________
Wet Bulb – ______________________________________________________________
o When the cloth is moistened, and the psychrometer is spun, the temperature of the wet bulb
_____________ because of the ________________ effect of ____________________
o The amount of cooling depends upon how ____________ evaporation occurs (which depends
on how dry the air is)
***The web-bulb temperature is always ________________ than the dry-bulb.***
Wet-Bulb Depression – ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
17 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Calculating Relative Humidity and Dew Point Temperature
“Dew point Temperature” and” Relative Humidity” charts in ESRT on page ________.
When given the wet bulb and dry bulb temperatures, you can determine the dew point temperature and relative
humidity by following the directions below.
Example 1: If the dry bulb temperature is 24°C and the wet bulb
is 20°C, find the dew point temperature and the relative humidity.
Dew point:
Determine the difference between dry bulb and wet bulb.
Dry bulb _______________ **
Wet bulb _______________
Difference ______________ **
Using the Dew point Temperature chart, find the dry bulb temperature on the dew point chart (left side) and
the difference between the wet bulb and dry bulb temperatures (top).
o Match these places within the chart. What is the Dew Point Temperature? __________ °C
Relative Humidity:
Same as dew point, except use the Relative Humidity chart. Find the dry bulb temperature on the relative
humidity chart (left side) and the difference between the wet bulb and dry bulb temperatures (top).
o Match these places within the chart. What is the Relative Humidity? __________ %
Example 2: Find the relative humidity and dew point temperature when the dry bulb temperature is 14°C and
the wet bulb temperature is 9°C.
Dry bulb _______________ ** What is the Dew Point Temperature? _________ °C
Wet bulb _______________
Difference ______________ ** What is the Relative Humidity? ________ %
18 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Fill in the following table: Be careful! Make sure you are using the correct chart.
Dry-Bulb
Temperature
(°C)
Wet-Bulb
Temperature
(°C)
Difference
between Dry-Bulb
and Wet Bulb
Dew Point
Temperature
(°C)
Relative
Humidity (%)
1 12 7
2 22 20
3 4 4
4 10 3
5 26 6
6 -8 -18
7 28 31
8 4 66
9 19 19
10 -9 -10
1. When the dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures are very similar, what do you notice about the humidity?
______________________________________________________________________
2. In which example above, would you expect there to be precipitation? _____________
3. What is the relative humidity if the dry bulb is 20°C and the wet bulb depression (difference between
wet and dry bulb) is 6? ___________________
4. What is the relative humidity if the dew point temperature is 6°C and the wet bulb depression is 1?
________
5. What is the dew point temperature if the wet bulb depression is 6 and the relative humidity is 61%?
________
6. A student used a sling psychrometer to measure the humidity of the air. If the relative humidity was
65% and the dry-bulb temperature was 10°C, what was the wet-bulb temperature? _____________
19 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Condensation
Clouds – _____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
For clouds to form, there must be:
o ____________________________________
o ____________________________________
o ____________________________________ (ex. Dust, pollen, ash)
R.E.C.C. = _______________, _______________, _______________, _______________
Cloud formation leads to ________________________
o Examples: __________________________________
What does precipitation do for the environment? ____________________
Instrument that measures precipitation: _________________________
20 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Daily Change of Temperature and Dew Point Temperature
1. The lowest temperature occurred at which time of day? ___________________________
2. At what time(s) did the air temperature equal dew point? ______________________
a. When this happens, the relative humidity is _________________.
3. The highest relative humidity occurred at what time? ____________________________
4. The highest air temperature occurred about what time? ___________________________
5. The lowest relative humidity occurred at about what time? ________________________
6. According to the graph, what happens to relative humidity as the air temperature increases?
_________________________________________________________________
7. What is the relative humidity when the air temperature equals the dew point temperature?
_________________________________________________________________
8. Condensation is most likely to occur at approximately what time? ____________________
9. At approximately what time was the rate of evaporation the highest? __________________
a. Why? ________________________________________________________
10. The greatest change in air temperature occurred during the time period from:
_________________________________________________________________
21 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Practice Regents Questions:
1. Which atmospheric condition will cause the greatest amount of evaporation from the surface of a lake? a. calm, dry, cold b. moist, cold, windy c. calm, moist, hot d. dry, hot, windy
2. The rate of evaporation from the surface of a lake would be increased by
a. a decrease in wind velocity b. a decrease in the amount of insolation c. an increase in the surface area of the lake d. an increase in the moisture content of the air
3. Which event is a direct result of transpiration and evaporation?
a. The atmosphere warms. b. Cloud cover decreases. c. Moisture enters the atmosphere. d. Moisture leaves the atmosphere.
4. Which statement best explains how atmospheric dust particles influence the water cycle?
a. Dust particles are the main source of dissolved salts in the sea. b. Dust particles increase the capacity of the atmosphere to hold water vapor. c. Dust particles increase the amount of evaporation that takes place. d. Dust particles provide surfaces on which water vapor can condense.
5. By which process are clouds, dew, and fog formed?
a. condensation b. evaporation c. precipitation d. melting
6. The change from the vapor phase to the liquid phase is called
a. evaporation b. condensation c. precipitation d. transpiration
Base your answer to the next 2 questions on the diagram to the right, which represents water molecules attached to salt and dust particles within a cloud in the atmosphere.
7. Explain why salt and dust particles are important in cloud formation. ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________
8. State one natural process that causes large amounts of dust to enter Earth’s atmosphere. ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________
22 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Station Models
Synoptic Weather Map – ________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Station Model – _______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Weather Variables – ___________________________________________________________
The station model depicts current weather conditions, cloud cover, wind speed, wind direction,
visibility, temperature, dew point temperature, atmospheric pressure, and the change in pressure over
the last three hours.
All weather variables are located in specific places on the station model and are given in symbolic form
without the units (to keep the station model easy to read)
ESRT page _________ - “Key to Weather Map Symbols”
Next to each arrow, identify the weather variable being represented on the station model.
Temperature and Dew Point are always given in ________
Winds always blow along the “stick” toward the center of the station
Cloud cover:
0% cloud cover
Clear skies
___% cloud cover
partly cloudy skies
___% cloud cover
partly cloudy skies
___% cloud cover
mostly cloudy skies
___% cloud cover
overcast skies
23 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Pressure on the Station Model
Air Pressure and Barometric trend are always coded on the station model.
Decoding Pressures from Station Models:
1. Insert a decimal point…
2. Add a “9” in front if the pressure is greater than 500
OR
3. Add a “10” in front of the number if it is less than 500.
= ___________ mb = ___________ mb
Encoding Pressures to write Station Models:
1. Remove the decimal point…
2. Record the last 3 digits.
Let’s try some examples:
1013.5 mb = 956.7 mb =
The Barometric Trend:
+ 19 / 19 means the pressure has changed by 1.9 mb
+ means pressure was higher than 3 hrs ago / means the pressure is currently rising
- means pressure was lower than 3 hrs ago \ means the pressure is currently falling
Now? _______________________ Now? _______________________
3 hours ago? __________________ 3 hours ago? _________________
720 320
24 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Reading Station Models
Constructing Station Models
25 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Air Masses
Air Mass -
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Source Region -
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
An air mass will take on the characteristics of the surface over which it forms (source region).
“Types of Air Masses” - ESRT page ___________
Map Symbol Stand for… Type of Weather
cP
cT
mP
mT
cA
26 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Weather Fronts
Front – ______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
When two unlike air masses ____________, a weather front is created.
Types of Air Fronts:
1. Cold Front – ____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Cold air is __________ and stays near the ____________
Cold air forces the _________ dense warm air the _________ over the denser cold air
______________________ occurs along the frontal boundary at the surface
Narrow band of heavy rain and __________________________
2. Warm Front – ___________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Warm, ________ dense air is forced to rise over the top of the ________, more dense air
Precipitation occurs before the frontal boundary at the surface
Wide band of _______________, all day showers
Map Symbol
Cross Section View:
Map Symbol
Cross Section View:
27 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
3. Stationary Front – ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Precipitation occurs in a wide band along the front at the surface
Steady/heavy rain
4. Occluded Front – _________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Precipitation occurs in a wide band before and along the front
Steady, all day rains followed by heavy rain/thunderstorms
Air fronts are always associated with low pressure
systems:
Label where the Low-Pressure center is located.
Draw the surface wind directions to show the
movement of air around the low-pressure center.
Write the air-mass symbols to indicate the most
likely location of the continental polar and
maritime tropical air masses.
Lightly shade the region where precipitation
is occurring.
Map Symbol
Cross Section View:
Map Symbol
Cross Section View:
28 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Practice Regents Questions
Base your answer on the weather map of North America below. The
map shows the location of a front and the air mass influencing its
movement.
1. Which type of front and frontal movement is shown on the
weather map?
a. cold front moving northwestward
b. cold front moving southeastward
c. warm front moving northwestward
d. warm front moving southeastward
2. Which region is the probable source of the air mass labeled cP on the map?
a. central Canada
b. southwestern United States
c. North Atlantic Ocean
d. Gulf of Mexico
3. The cP air mass is identified on the basis of its temperature and
a. wind direction
b. cloud cover
c. moisture content
d. windspeed
Base your answer to the next 3 questions on the cross section
below, which shows a typical cold front moving over Florida
in early summer.
4. Explain why the warm, moist air is rising at the
frontal boundary. ________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
5. State one process that causes clouds to form in this rising air.
________________________________________________________________
6. Identify the most likely geographic source region for the mT and cP air masses shown in the cross
section.
mT: _____________________________ cP: _________________________
29 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
7. On the frontal boundary line on the weather map
provided to the right, draw the weather front symbol
to represent the front moving toward the southeast.
8. On the weather map, place an X centered on the
geographic region that was most likely the source of
the warm, moist (mT) air mass.
9. On the weather map provided below place the proper front symbols on lines AB, BC, and BD. Place the
front symbols on the correct side of each line to show the direction of front movement.
Line AB is an occluded front.
Line BC is a cold front.
Line BD is a warm front.
10. Other than low pressure, state two weather
conditions associated with a low-pressure
center. ________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
11. Describe the general surface wind pattern
associated with the low-pressure system.
_____________________________
_____________________________
12. Compared to a maritime tropical air mass, a continental polar air mass is
a. cooler and contains less moisture
b. cooler and contains more moisture
c. warmer and contains less moisture
d. warmer and contains more moisture
30 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Hazardous Weather
Prevailing Westerlies – The winds over the United
States, blow weather systems from the
_______________ to the ______________.
Jet Stream – very fast ___________ that
flow in the __________________
______________________.
Thunderstorms – form from uplifting warm air
associated with ____________________ fronts
Located in inland regions
Produce heavy __________, ___________,
__________, thunder and lightning
As the thunderstorm cloud reaches higher altitudes, the
temperatures continue to ___________________ and the
probability to produce hail ____________________.
To have 100% probably of hail, the thunderstorm cloud must
extend into the ______________________.
On the weather map station model, use
the correct symbols and proper format
to indicate the six weather conditions
shown in the table.
Emergency preparedness:
How could humans protect themselves from harm if a severe hail warning is issued for their location?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
How could people protect themselves from lightning? ________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
31 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Blizzards – winter _________________________ that produce heavy snow and restricted
_______________ along with high windspeeds greater than __________ mph.
Coastal regions are hit with big blizzards because large quantities of _____________ are transported
from the ______________ ocean.
Locations such as Buffalo and Syracuse are downwind from the ___________________________
which creates “lake-effect snow storms”.
Lake Effect Snow – _______________ winds
move across the relatively ___________ great
lakes and pick up __________________.
_______, ________ air is
______________ over the Tug Hill
Plateau where it snows due to the
____________________ effect.
As air rises, it ___________ leading to
more _________________________.
If the water freezes… how why would snowfall amounts be less? ___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Emergency preparedness:
Describe actions that people could take to prepare for a forecasted lake-effect snowstorm.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
How would New York State prepare for an approaching ice storm? ________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
The water in the Great Lakes freezes
much later in winter than the
surrounding land, because water has a
__________________________
compared to land.
32 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Tornadoes – a rapidly rotating _________-pressure funnel associated with strong
__________________ and ____________ fronts in the spring
Very narrow: 100 ft – 1 mile in diameter
Produce winds up to _________ mph
Last for a few minutes to an hour
Very little ____________ time.
Emergency preparedness:
A tornado warning is issued for a location in the area labeled Tornado Alley. What safety precautions should be
taken to avoid possible injury from this tornado?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
1. Explain why all the tornadoes moved toward the
northeast. ____________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
2. Describe the air movement most likely found within
these tornadoes. ________________________
___________________________________
3. Most of these tornadoes occurred with
thunderstorms along cold fronts. Identify the water
cycle process that forms clouds along cold fronts.
________________________
33 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Hurricanes – _______-pressure _______________ storm that starts in
the western Atlantic Ocean in the late _________ into early ___________.
The sun heats up the ocean water, especially near the ____________.
By the end of the ___________, ocean temperatures reach high 80’s.
A thunderstorm that forms westward off the coast of Africa will move
into the __________________ and continue to grow, by gaining
energy from ____________________ warm ocean waters.
Storm Surge – ___________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
o Hurricanes will cause __________________ along coastal areas, which is the cause for the
greatest amount of damage.
As hurricanes move over ________________, they lose the energy from the ______________
and begin to decrease in size and strength.
Hurricanes are classified using the _____________________________________________.
The arrows on the map show the tracks of various
hurricanes. State one reason why most hurricane
paths curve northeastward as hurricanes move
north of 30° N latitude. ___________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Describe emergency preparations humans could
take to prepare for a hurricane warning in their
region. ____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
34 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
Monsoons
Monsoon – _______________ ________________ of the overall ________ patterns for an area.
Caused by: ____________________________________________________________
Summer
Land heats up _________ than water because it has a
__________ specific heat.
Air temperature over land: _____________
o Air pressure over land: ______________
Air temperature over water: ______________
o Air pressure over water: _____________
Wind will blow from ____________ to
___________ bring large quantities of water from the
Indian Ocean.
Summer monsoon winds = ________________
Winter
Land cools down __________ than water because it has
a ____________ specific heat.
Air temperature over land: _______________
o Air pressure over land: _____________
Air temperature over water: _______________
o Air pressure over water: ____________
Wind will blow from ___________ to
_____________ bringing very dry air over the
Indian Ocean.
Winter Monsson winds = _________________
35 Regents Earth ScienceMs. Martino
El Niño–Southern Oscillation
El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) – ______________ variations in the __________ patterns
and ocean ______________________ over the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean.
Occurs at intervals of ________ to ________ years.
Lasts from ________ months to _________ years.
Normal Conditions:
______________ Eastern trades winds.
Results in the ocean currents to from ________________ to __________________.
o Indonesia: _________________ and ________________ weather conditions
o South American: ________________ and ________________ weather conditions
El Niño Conditions:
_______________ Eastern trade winds
Results in the ocean current to switch direction: flows ________________ to _______________.
o Indonesia: __________________ and ________________ weather conditions
o South America: ________________ and ________________ (winter) weather conditions
How does an El Niño year affect the Northeastern United States? __________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________