Deck 8: Atmospheric Circulation and Pressure Distributions

Question 1

The northeast trade winds:

A)are the product of a strong Coriolis force.
B)span the horse latitudes.
C)are the result of air flowing from the subtropical high to the ITCZ.
D)have been the dread of sailors for centuries.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The three-cell model of atmospheric circulation:

A)gives a good approximation of what actually happens over the entire

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The ITCZ:

A)is an area of high pressure.
B)is where trade winds originate.
C)forms the boundary between the Ferrel and polar cells.
D)receives a lot of rain.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The Ferrel Cell is associated with the:

A)tropics.
B)mid-latitudes.
C)high-latitudes.
D)poles.

Question 5

The trade winds are the result of:

A)flow around large, dynamic subtropical high pressure systems.
B)flow around large, dynamic subtropical low pressure systems.
C)an imbalance in the Coriolis Force.
D)friction.

Question 6

An isolated thunderstorm is classified in this scale of atmospheric motion.

A)synoptic scale
B)mesoscale
C)

Question 7

The Hadley cell:

A)originates with strong solar heating at the equator.
B)creates a high-pressure area at the equator.
C)does not account for the formation of trade winds.
D)does not explain upper air movement in the troposphere.

Question 8

The general circulation:

A)is an annual land-sea breeze.
B)is approximated by a three cells motion model.
C)is not responsible for the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
D)contributes nothing to the redistribution of heat energy in the earth-atmospheric system.
E)none of the above

Question 9

As the subpolar low makes its seasonal migrations,this is affected least:

A)the location of subtropical highs.
B)the location of the ITCZ.
C)the location of the trade winds.
D)the location of the polar high.

Question 10

This is NOT a part of the Hadley cell:

A)mid-latitude westerlies.
B)trade winds.
C)ITCZ.
D)subtropical highs.

Question 11

Cyclones and anticyclones are classified as this scale of phenomena:

A)synoptic scale.
B)mesoscale.
C)microscale.
D)

Question 12

Meridional flow is characterized by flow that is ________; while zonal flow is characterized by flow that is ________.

A)west/east; north/south
B)slow; fast
C)north/south; west/east
D)all of the above

Question 13

The four scales of atmospheric motion from largest to smallest are:

A)planetary, synoptic, meso, and micro.
B)planetary, soprano, micro, and meso.
C)meso, planetary, micro, bass.
D)micro, meso, synoptic, planetary.

Question 14

The single-cell model for general atmospheric circulation:

A)works only in the northern hemisphere.
B)demonstrates the effect of thermally direct circulations.
C)causes wild deviations in the subtropical jet stream.
D)is the major cause of the Gulf Stream.

Question 15

The subtropical high:

A)is neither a part of, nor a consequence of, the Hadley cell.
B)often causes dry, desert-like conditions.
C)has strong pressure gradients.
D)has strong winds.

Question 16

The three-cell model for general circulation:

A)includes a segment called the Hadley Cell.
B)is a better representation of the atmosphere than the single-cell model.
C)accounts for the positioning of the Polar and Subtropical jet streams.
D)takes in to account the spin of the earth.
E)all of the above

Question 17

Angular momentum is dependent upon all of the following,except:

A)mass.
B)material the mass is composed of.
C)radius.
D)velocity.

Question 18

The area near the equator where the three-cell model of the northern hemisphere interfaces with the three-cell model of the southern hemisphere is called the:

A)ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone).
B)heat equator.
C)doldrums.
D)all of the above

Question 19

The Hadley Cell was originally envisaged to cover most,if not all of each hemisphere,North and South.What area does it actually cover?

A)Just areas near the equator
B)Just the Tropics
C)Just the Mid-latitudes
D)Just the Tropics and the Mid-Latitudes

Question 20

The horse latitudes were associated with the:

A)equatorial low.
B)subtropical highs.
C)sub-polar lows.
D)polar highs.

Question 21

Usually,the pressure gradient force would be strongest at the:

A)950 mb level.
B)900 mb level.
C)800 mb level.
D)700 mb level.

Question 22

Maps of the

Question 23

The polar front:

A)is not associated with the polar jet stream.
B)is a region of small changes in the slope of pressure surfaces.
C)is a region marked by a sharp change in horizontal temperature.
D)is a boundary between two regions of cold air.

Question 24

Maps of the

Question 25

Regarding troughs and ridges,it is true that:

A)they most closely approximate a spiral pattern.
B)troughs are associated with high pressure.
C)there is always an equal number of troughs and ridges across the continental United States.
D)height contours for troughs are shifted toward the equator.

Question 26

In the Northern Hemisphere,cold air outbreaks in the winter are commonly related to the movement of the

A)subtropical jet stream.
B)ITCZ.
C)polar front/polar jet stream.
D)Pacific High.

Question 27

Rossby waves:

A)usually move from west to east.
B)usually occur in

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT a warm current?

A)North Equatorial Current
B)Gulf Stream
C)Canary Current
D)North Atlantic Drift

Question 29

Jet streams:

A)do not change much in intensity over the course of a year.
B)have typical speeds around 50 km/hr.
C)are very turbulent.
D)are easy for meteorologists to track.

Question 30

The process where cold ocean waters are circulated to the surface is called:

A)the Ekman Spiral effect.
B)upwelling.
C)the Humboldt conformal effect.
D)the Gulf Stream.
E)the North Atlantic Drift.

Question 31

The Sahel:

A)is located in South America.
B)has a rainy season that lasts for nearly nine months out of the year.
C)has seen little meteorological change in recent decades.
D)is usually dominated by the subtropical high.

Question 32

A ________ aloft is associated with ________ air; a ________ aloft is associated with ________ air.

A)Ridge/cold; trough/warm
B)Ridge/warm; trough/cold
C)Low/sinking; high/rising
D)none of the above

Question 33

What happens to the position and strength of the oceanic semi-permanent high pressure centers in the Northern Hemisphere,from January to July?

A)They strengthen and move east.
B)They strengthen and move west.
C)They weaken and move east.
D)They weaken and move west.

Question 34

The currents of the major oceanic gyre systems are driven by:

A)volcanic activity on the ocean floor.
B)jet streams and Rossby Waves in the upper atmosphere.
C)tropical Storm activity.
D)drag of surface winds that are part of the major anticyclonic pressure and wind systems over the ocean basins.

Question 35

Semi-permanent pressure cells:

A)have no impact on major weather patterns.
B)can change substantially from summer to winter.
C)stay in one place.
D)maintain the same intensity year-round.

Question 36

Winds in the upper atmosphere are:

A)westerly only in the northern hemisphere.
B)westerly only in the southern hemisphere.
C)westerly in both the northern and southern hemisphere.
D)faster in summer than in winter in both the northern and southern hemisphere.

Question 37

Waves in the upper atmosphere are sometimes called:

A)long waves.
B)planetary waves.
C)Rossby waves.
D)all of the above

Question 38

The precipitation conditions in the Sahel are most influenced by the position of:

A)the Polar-Front Jet Stream.
B)the Subtropical Jet Stream.
C)the Lower Level Jet Stream.
D)the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone.

Question 39

Westerly winds in the upper atmosphere at mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere:

A)are a result of a pressure gradient that moves air from the poles toward the equator.
B)are stronger in summer than in winter.
C)are the reason most mid-latitude storms move from west to east.
D)are moving perpendicular to 500 mb contours.

Question 40

This is most prominent in summer:

A)Aleutian low.
B)Icelandic low.
C)Hawaiian high.
D)Siberian high.

Question 41

This ocean current moderates winters in northern Europe and Scandinavia.

A)the Ekman spiral
B)North Atlantic Drift
C)Canary Current
D)West Greenland Drift

Question 42

Santa Ana winds are:

A)similar to Chinooks but are caused by different dynamics.
B)a cold wind found in the Yukon Territory.
C)a hot, dry wind that flows off the Mexican High Plateau onto the plains of Texas.
D)a cool, dry wind flowing off the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain.

Question 43

Which of these winds is associated with the American Great Plains?

A)katabatic
B)santa ana
C)chinook
D)none of the above

Question 44

Sea breezes:

A)occur when the temperature at the seashore is higher than that inland.
B)require a surface region of high pressure inland.
C)result from the fact that water both warms and cools more slowly than land.
D)are usually less intense than land breezes.

Question 45

The two major jet streams that impact weather in the northern hemisphere are the:

A)polar jet stream and the low-level jet stream.
B)the subtropical jet stream and the low-level jet stream.
C)polar jet stream and the subtropical jet stream.
D)None of the above. Jet streams are not significant to northern hemisphere weather.

Question 46

Ocean currents:

A)have a much stronger vertical component than horizontal component.
B)are driven primarily by differences in ocean temperature over large distances.
C)move at a 45 degree angle to the right of surface air flow.
D)maintain the same direction at increasing depth.

Question 47

Monsoons in Asia:

A)are strongest in January and February.
B)occur when the winds blow south from the Himalayas.
C)start when the interior of the continent heats up in summer.
D)require an offshore wind.

Question 48

Foehns:

A)are mesoscale winds.
B)flow downslope and warm by compression.
C)are usually associated with heavy rainfall.
D)are called Chinooks in Los Angeles.

Question 49

The source of moisture for the Asian monsoon is:

A)the snows of the Tibetan Plateau.
B)the Indian Ocean.
C)evapotranspiration from southeast Asian jungles.
D)the Ganges River delta.

Question 50

The rate at which a Rossby wave propagates is NOT dependent upon this factor:

A)the amplitude of the wave.
B)the wavelength of the wave.
C)the wave's latitudinal position.
D)the westerly component of the wave's internal wind speed.

Question 51

Which of these is a consequence of a strong pressure gradient force,especially in the mid-latitudes,and is strongest in the winter season?

A)polar-front jet stream
B)subtropical jet stream
C)low-level jet stream
D)none of the above

Question 52

A valley breeze:

A)has more in common with a sea breeze than with a land breeze.
B)causes air to flow downward.
C)occurs at night.
D)is stronger in low ranges of hills than in high mountain ranges.

Question 53

Monsoons are most dramatic on this continent:

A)North America.
B)Europe.
C)South America.
D)Asia.

Question 54

Wind speeds generally increase with height between the surface and the tropopause mostly because of:

A)increasing friction.
B)decreasing friction.
C)the pressure gradient force is stronger at high altitudes.
D)the pressure gradient force is stronger at low altitudes.

Question 55

Monsoon refers to:

A)heavy tropical precipitation.
B)the climatic pattern in which heavy precipitation alternates with hot, dry conditions on an annual basis.
C)heavy summer rains in South Asia.
D)none of the above

Question 56

Katabatic winds:

A)originate in high-pressure systems.
B)usually have very high speeds.
C)typically require a high-level plateau.
D)are most common in equatorial regions.

Question 57

A cold air drainage wind is called a:

A)Katabatic wind.
B)Santa Ana wind.
C)Foehn.
D)Sea breeze.
E)Bora.

Question 58

The Mistral is:

A)a foehn type wind.
B)a Santa Ana type wind.
C)a katabatic wind.
D)an on-shore flow.
E)an European sea breeze.

Question 59

In which of the following situations would swimmers find the warmest waters at the beach?

A)winter off the north coast of Alaska
B)Los Angeles in summer with an on-shore wind
C)Los Angeles in summer with a Santa Ana wind
D)just north of San Francisco in summer

Question 60

The Santa Ana winds:

A)are named after a former leader of Mexico.
B)are most common in summer.
C)result from high pressure over the Rocky Mountains.
D)receive much of their heat from the hot deserts over which they travel.

Question 61

Analysis of Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)trends indicates

A)La Nina episodes are becoming more common.
B)El Nino episodes are becoming more common.
C)the frequency of La Nina and El Nino is equal.
D)none of the above.

Question 62

Relationships between weather or climate patterns at two widely separated locations are called ________.

Question 63

Winds blowing from north to south are called

A)zonal winds
B)meridional winds
C)turbulent winds
D)rotors

Question 64

Explain how upwelling along the western coast of South America contributes to the dryness of the Atacama Desert in Chile.

Question 65

Winds blowing from west to east are called

A)zonal winds
B)meridional winds
C)turbulent winds
D)rotors

Question 66

Atmospheric features that cover large portions of the earth and are maintained for weeks are considered

A)microscale
B)mesoscale
C)synoptic scale
D)global scale

Question 67

A La Niña tends to encourage dry conditions in which of these areas?

A)The southern United States
B)Pacific Northwest of the U.S.
C)Indonesia
D)South Asia

Question 68

El Niño occurs in conjunction with changes in this atmospheric phenomenon: ________.

Question 69

Small wind and pressure variations occurring at a particular location can be thought of as a __________ phenomenon.

A)microscale
B)mesoscale
C)synoptic scale
D)global scale

Question 70

The ________,an ocean phenomenon,occurs when warm water from the western Pacific moves to the eastern Pacific.

Question 71

The ________ is related to changes in the strength of the Bermuda-Azores High and the Icelandic Low.

Question 72

El Niño seems to entail all of the following,except:

A)a significant change in the Walker circulation.
B)the occurrence of the Southern Oscillation.
C)weaker trade winds.
D)lower evaporation rates in the eastern Pacific.

Question 73

El Niño:

A)usually causes drought in California.
B)results from a lower temperature of surface waters in the eastern Pacific.
C)results in both reduced air pressure and increased evaporation.
D)typically does not affect the northern portion of the United States.

Question 74

The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

A)is defined as the monthly sea level pressure departure from normal at Tahiti minus the departure from normal at Darwin, Australia.
B)can be used to give a historical perspective on ENSO occurrences.
C)is negative during a La Nina event.
D)is positive during an El Nino event.
E)Only A and B are true.

Question 75

Strengthening trade winds across the equatorial Pacific Ocean set the stage for ________ and weaker trade winds encourage the development of ________.

Question 76

An organized cluster of thunderstorms covering several counties is an example of a _________ phenomenon.

A)microscale
B)mesoscale
C)synoptic scale
D)global scale

Question 77

The scale of an atmospheric feature depends on its

A)areal coverage only
B)time span only
C)both areal coverage and time span

Question 78

The Hadley cell is a

A)microscale feature
B)synoptic scale feature
C)single cell model
D)three cell model

Question 79

The United States does not have significant monsoonal activity primarily because:

A)there is no major east-west mountain range in the southeastern United States.
B)the Gulf of Mexico has moderately cool surface waters.
C)winds tend to blow from the north in the summer.
D)North America is smaller than Asia.

Question 80

Explain the conditions that prevent Asian monsoons in winter and allow them in summer.