Deck 15: Hurricanes

Question 1

Which of the following is not true concerning an easterly wave?

A) moves from east to west
B) has converging winds on its western side
C) showers and thunderstorms may be found on its eastern side
D) indicates a region of lower-than-average pressure

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which would you not expect to observe as the eye of a hurricane passes directly over your area?

A) an increase in surface temperature
B) a very low surface pressure reading
C) high winds
D) little or no precipitation

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Most hurricanes have fronts.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Pressure at the center of a hurricane is ____ than the surroundings at the surface and ____ than the surroundings aloft.

A) higher,lower
B) lower,higher
C) lower,lower
D) higher,higher

Question 5

In a hurricane,the eye wall represents

A) the exact center of the storm.
B) the area of broken cloudiness at the center.
C) a region of light winds and low pressure.
D) a zone of intense thunderstorms around the center.
E) a layer of cirrus cloud in the center of the storm.

Question 6

The vertical structure of the hurricane shows an upper-level ____ of air,and a surface ____ of air.

A) outflow,inflow
B) outflow,outflow
C) inflow,outflow
D) inflow,inflow

Question 7

The strongest winds in a hurricane are found

A) at the center of the storm.
B) in the eye wall.
C) in the rain bands.
D) at upper levels,above the center of the hurricane.
E) near the periphery of the hurricane.

Question 8

Which below only forms over water?

A) thunderstorms
B) funnel clouds
C) tornadoes
D) mesocyclones
E) hurricanes

Question 9

The main reason hurricanes don't develop over the South Atlantic Ocean adjacent to South America is because

A) the Coriolis force is too small there.
B) the pressure gradient force is too weak in that area.
C) the surface water temperatures are too cold.
D) the air at the surface is always diverging.

Question 10

The main source of energy for a hurricane is the

A) upper-level jet stream.
B) rising of warm air and sinking of cold air in the vicinity of weather fronts.
C) warm ocean water and release of latent heat of condensation.
D) ocean currents and tides.

Question 11

Hurricanes dissipate when

A) they move over colder water.
B) they move over land.
C) surface inflow of air exceeds upper-level outflow of air.
D) all of these

Question 12

Hurricanes do not form

A) along the ITCZ.
B) along the equator.
C) with an easterly wave.
D) when the trade wind inversion is weak.
E) when the surface water temperature exceeds 25 C.

Question 13

Streamlines on a weather map depict

A) water temperature.
B) pressure.
C) wind flow.
D) dew point.
E) ocean currents.

Question 14

At the periphery of a hurricane,the air is ____,and several kilometers above the surface,in the eye,the air is ____.

A) sinking,sinking
B) sinking,rising
C) rising,sinking
D) rising,rising

Question 15

As a northward-moving hurricane passes to the east of an area,surface winds should change from

A) NW to N to NE.
B) W to SW to S.
C) NE to N to NW.
D) S to SW to W.
E) SE to S to SW.

Question 16

Suppose the eye of a hurricane passed directly over you,and you survived the experience.If winds were from the northeast as the eyewall first approached you,from what direction did the winds blow when the eyewall reached you the second time?

A) NW
B) NE
C) SE
D) SW

Question 17

As surface air rushes in toward the eye of a hurricane,the air expands and should cool.The main reason the surface air is not cooler around the eye is because

A) the sinking air near the eye warms the air.
B) friction with the water adds heat to the air.
C) the warm water heats the air.
D) sunlight heats the air.

Question 18

In order for a hurricane to form,the layer of warm water must extend from the ocean surface to a depth of at least 400 meters.

Question 19

In the Northern Hemisphere,hurricanes and middle latitude cyclones are similar in that both

A) have surface weather fronts.
B) intensify with increasing height above the ground.
C) have winds that blow counterclockwise around their centers.
D) will generally move from west to east.

Question 20

Hurricane winds rotate in a clockwise direction

A) in the Northern Hemisphere only.
B) in the Southern Hemisphere only.
C) in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
D) in neither hemisphere.

Question 21

Just before a storm becomes a fully developed hurricane,it is in the ____ stage.

A) tropical depression
B) tropical disturbance
C) tropical storm
D) cyclone
E) typhoon

Question 22

Which of the following areas in the United States would most likely experience thunderstorms,hurricanes,and tornadoes during the course of one year?

A) Pacific Coast states
B) New England states
C) Gulf Coast states
D) Great Plains states

Question 23

A storm of tropical origin whose high winds and water cause a great deal of destruction to islands in the western North Pacific is (in this part of the world)known as a

A) hurricane.
B) cyclone.
C) willy willy.
D) mesocyclone.
E) typhoon.

Question 24

Storms that form in the tropics are given names when

A) they reach tropical storm strength.
B) they become fully developed hurricanes.
C) they approach to within 250 miles of land.
D) rotation becomes visible on a satellite photograph.

Question 25

An intense storm of tropical origin that forms over the Pacific Ocean adjacent to the west coast of Mexico would be called a

A) hurricane.
B) typhoon.
C) cyclone.
D) willy willy.
E) baguio.

Question 26

On the Saffir-Simpson scale,a category 5 storm would indicate

A) a weak hurricane.
B) a moderately strong hurricane.
C) a very strong hurricane.
D) None of these;the Saffir-Simpson scale applies to tornadoes.

Question 27

The main difference between a hurricane and a tropical storm is that

A) hurricanes are larger.
B) tropical storms are more than 500 miles from the U.S.mainland.
C) winds speeds are greater in a hurricane.
D) hurricanes have a clearly defined eye on satellite photographs.

Question 28

Which is not an atmospheric condition conducive to the formation of hurricanes?

A) a region of converging surface winds at the surface
B) warm water
C) strong upper-level winds
D) cold air aloft
E) moist,humid surface air

Question 29

The first three stages of a developing hurricane are (from first stage to third stage)

A) tropical disturbance,tropical storm,and typhoon.
B) tropical depression,tropical disturbance,and tropical storm.
C) tropical disturbance,tropical depression,and tropical storm.
D) cyclone,typhoon,and tropical storm.

Question 30

Most of the destruction caused by a hurricane is due to

A) high winds.
B) flooding.
C) tornadoes.
D) hail.

Question 31

The strongest winds in a hurricane heading westward toward Florida would most likely be found on the ____ side.

A) northern
B) southern
C) eastern
D) western

Question 32

A strong trade wind inversion ____ to the development of a hurricane.

A) is conducive
B) is not conducive
C) is immaterial

Question 33

Hurricanes can't form along the equator because

A) there isn't much water along the equator,it's mostly land.
B) the Coriolis force is too small along the equator.
C) there are no feedback mechanisms along the equator.
D) it's too humid for the ocean water to evaporate.

Question 34

The energy for hurricanes comes from the transfer of ____ from the ocean surface to the atmosphere.

A) sensible heat and momentum
B) latent heat and momentum
C) infrared radiation and momentum
D) sensible heat and latent heat

Question 35

Which of the following is true?

A) Hurricanes are only given male names.
B) Hurricanes are only given female names.
C) Hurricanes are alternately assigned male and female names.
D) Atlantic hurricanes are given male names and Pacific hurricanes are given female names.

Question 36

Which method below describes how scientists have tried to modify hurricanes?

A) putting an oil slick over the ocean water and igniting it
B) seeding the hurricanes with silver iodide
C) igniting huge smoke bombs in the eye of the storm
D) seeding the hurricanes with hair-thin pieces of aluminum called chaff

Question 37

Which statement below is not correct concerning hurricanes?

A) They may contain tornadoes.
B) They may contain severe thunderstorms.
C) A hurricane moving northward over the Pacific will normally survive for a longer time than one moving north over the Atlantic.
D) A weakening hurricane can move up to middle latitudes and turn into an extratropical cyclone.

Question 38

Which below is the best indication that a hurricane will likely strike your area within 24 hours?

A) a hurricane watch issued by the National Weather Service
B) high cirrus clouds moving in from the east
C) a hurricane warning issued by the National Weather Service
D) easterly or northeasterly winds with speeds in excess of 30 knots
E) a rapid drop in pressure and heavy rains

Question 39

A hurricane warning

A) gives the exact location where a hurricane will make landfall.
B) is usually issued several days ahead of a hurricane's arrival.
C) gives the percent chance of a hurricane's center passing within 65 miles of a community.
D) is issued when a hurricane approaches to within 500 miles of the U.S.mainland.
E) is issued whenever surface wind speeds exceed 74 mi/hr.

Question 40

Suppose that five of this year's tropical storms develop into hurricanes over the North Atlantic Ocean.The name of the third hurricane would start with the letter

A) A.
B) B.
C) C.
D) D.
E) impossible to tell

Question 41

As latent heat is released inside the clouds of a hurricane,the warming of the air aloft creates an area of ____ aloft.

A) low pressure
B) high pressure

Question 42

The most costly hurricane ever to hit the United States was

A) Hurricane Ivan.
B) Hurricane Katrina.
C) Hurricane Wilma.

Question 43

Would you expect hurricanes in the Southern Hemisphere to be any different from hurricanes in the Northern Hemisphere? Why or why not?

Question 44

Hurricane season for the tropical North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans normally runs from June through November.Why don't hurricanes form in these locations at other times of the year?

Question 45

Because of the conservation of angular momentum,air spiraling inward toward the center of a hurricane ____ in speed.

A) decreases
B) increases
C) remains constant

Question 46

In your opinion do hurricanes pose the greatest threat to the east or west coast of the United States? Explain.

Question 47

Very heavy rainfall amounts are often recorded when a hurricane or tropical storm moves over land.Why do these storms produce so much rain?

Question 48

Describe a hurricane as completely as you can by giving typical values for the following characteristics: diameter,location and size of the eye,direction of rotation and speed of winds,central pressure,direction and speed of movement,duration.

Question 49

Hurricanes have strong divergence at their tops.

Question 50

Where is the Bermuda high located during the summer and fall? How might the path of a hurricane,moving toward the west from Africa,be affected by the Bermuda High as the hurricane approaches the United States?

Question 51

In what ways are weather conditions in the tropics and at middle latitudes different?

Question 52

Compare the size of an average hurricane to that of an average tornado.Given the size and intensity of each,which do you think is the more destructive storm? Why?

Question 53

Why can't hurricanes form in the mid-latitudes?

Question 54

Computer models of hurricanes almost always agree on their predictions of a hurricane's movement and evolution.

Question 55

The immense amounts of energy taken in by hurricanes are

A) converted to kinetic energy.
B) used in chemical reactions.
C) lost through radiational cooling at the top of the storm.
D) converted to kinetic energy and lost through radiational cooling at the top of the storm.

Question 56

The favorable stability condition for hurricane development is

A) a deep layer of stable air.
B) a shallow layer of absolutely unstable air.
C) a shallow layer of conditionally unstable air.
D) a deep layer of conditionally unstable air.

Question 57

There is a limit to the intensity of hurricanes.

Question 58

Surface winds in hurricanes typically reach a maximum in the

A) eye.
B) eyewall.
C) anvils.

Question 59

List and describe some of the conditions that are favorable to hurricane development.What atmospheric conditions inhibit hurricane formation and growth?

Question 60

The process by which a hurricane's innermost ring of clouds dissipates and then strengthens is called

A) landfall.
B) storm surge.
C) eyewall replacement.
D) spiral rainbands.

Question 61

In recent years,the number of deaths caused by hurricanes has decreased,but the cost of hurricane damage has increased.How would you explain this?

Question 62

Compare and contrast the main features of a hurricane with those of a strong mid-latitude cyclone.

Question 63

Even though more hurricanes form,on average,over the Eastern Pacific than over the tropical North Atlantic,we generally hear less about them.Why do you think this is so?

Question 64

What is a storm surge? How does a storm surge form?

Question 65

Why are the measurements made by reconnaissance aircraft so important to forecasting a hurricane's movement?