Deck 9: Wind: Small-Scale and Local Systems

Question 1

Which of the following factors is indicated by a wind rose?

A)percentage of time that wind blows from different directions
B)observed wind speed and direction on a surface map
C)spinning wind patterns caused by buildings or other obstructions
D)wind speed at a location at a particular time

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is the most likely wind to blow upstream along a mountain stream?

A)Santa Ana
B)valley breeze
C)chinook
D)mountain breeze

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following wind conditions is associated with the nighttime clouds that tend to form over water during the summer in humid climates?

A)Santa Ana wind
B)chinook wind
C)land breeze
D)sea breeze

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In which of the following conditions are chinook winds driest on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains?

A)when the winds blow from the east
B)when clouds form and precipitation falls on the upwind side of the mountains
C)when the sun is shining
D)when the air aloft is cold

Question 5

Which of the following describes the frequency of dust storms and dust devils on Mars?

A)infrequent
B)extremely rare
C)constant
D)common

Question 6

Referring to the figure below, in which of the following conditions do clouds most likely form? ​

A)during the night, when the land is warmer than the water
B)during the day, when the land is colder than the water
C)during the day, when the land is warmer than the water
D)during the night, when the land is colder than the water

Question 7

How often does a sea breeze circulation reverse direction and become a land breeze?

A)once every few days
B)once per day
C)at the beginning and the end of the summer
D)several times per day

Question 8

Suppose the wind speed increases from 8 km/h to 16 km/h. Which of the following expresses the factor by which the force of the wind will have increased?

A)2
B)4
C)5
D)25

Question 9

Pedalling a bicycle into a 30 km/h wind requires how much more effort compared to pedalling into a 10 km/h wind?

A)eighteen times as much
B)nine times as much
C)six times as much
D)three times as much

Question 10

Which of the following statements describes why wind speed generally increases with height above the Earth's surface?

A)Only the lowest layer of air rotates with the Earth.
B)Wind instruments are not accurate at the Earth's surface.
C)Friction with the Earth's surface slows the air near the ground.
D)Air temperature normally decreases with height.

Question 11

Where does clear air turbulence occur most often?

A)near a boundary of high wind shear
B)near a boundary of low-pressure gradient forces
C)near a boundary of low wind shear
D)near a boundary of high-pressure gradient force

Question 12

Suppose a west wind of 20 knots blows over a coastal region that is densely covered in shrubs. Which of the following describes the same wind's likely speed and direction if it moved over the middle of a large, calm lake?

A)greater than 20 knots and more southwesterly
B)greater than 20 knots and more northwesterly
C)less than 20 knots and more northwesterly
D)less than 20 knots and more southwesterly

Question 13

The top of the friction layer is usually found near which of the following altitudes?

A)100 m
B)5000 m
C)1000 m
D)500 m

Question 14

Which of the following factors has the LEAST influence on determining how high a wind wave will grow over the open ocean?

A)length of time the wind blows over the water
B)density of water
C)wind speed over the water
D)fetch of water

Question 15

A wind profiler obtains wind information using which of the following instruments?

A)aerovane
B)theodolite
C)Doppler radar
D)radiosonde

Question 16

Which of the following is considered a reason for the howling of wind on a blustery night?

A)snowflakes striking one another but not sticking together
B)eddies of higher air density
C)variation in air temperature
D)wind blowing around a frozen surface

Question 17

Which of the following is an instrument that uses infrared or visible light in the form of a laser beam to determine wind direction?

A)aerovane
B)radiosonde
C)pilot balloon
D)lidar

Question 18

Which of the following gives an example of mesoscale motion?

A)winds on a surface weather map of North America
B)winds blowing through a city
C)winds blowing past a chimney
D)winds on a 500 hPa chart

Question 19

Which of the following winds could result from the surface pressure pattern as shown in the figure above? ​

A)chinook wind
B)nor'easter
C)Santa Ana wind
D)land breeze

Question 20

Which of the following locations is the most practical for building a wind turbine?

A)a narrow valley
B)a region of moderate, steady winds
C)a region of strong, gusty winds
D)the downwind side of a mountain

Question 21

Which of the following is the name for a chinook wind in the Alps?

A)foehn
B)bora
C)monsoon
D)haboob

Question 22

Which of the following factors generate a sea or land breeze?

A)temperature differences
B)ocean tides
C)differences in humidity
D)the Coriolis force

Question 23

The figure below shows a layer of relatively fast-moving air overlying a layer of more slowly moving air. Where do eddies and turbulent air motions likely form? ​

A)in the bottom layer
B)in the top layer
C)in the boundary between the two layers

Question 24

Referring to the figure below, which of the following chinook wind conditions are generated by the clouds and precipitation that form on the windward side of the mountain? ​

A)cooler and moister than usual
B)warmer and drier than usual
C)warmer and moister than usual
D)cooler and drier than usual

Question 25

From which of the following directions does a katabatic wind most likely blow on the British Columbia coast?

A)north
B)south
C)west
D)east

Question 26

Which of the following gives the name for an instrument used to measure wind speed?

A)anemometer
B)ceilometer
C)tachometer
D)psychrometer

Question 27

Frequently, clouds and precipitation occur on the downwind side of a large lake. Which of the following describes the state of the air on the downwind side of the lake?

A)converging and rising
B)converging and sinking
C)diverging and sinking
D)diverging and rising

Question 28

Assume a southerly wind begins to flow over a large lake. At the opposite end of the lake what is the likely direction of this wind?

A)southeasterly
B)southwesterly
C)northwesterly
D)southerly

Question 29

From which of the following directions is a wind reported as 225° blowing?

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

Question 30

Which of the following instruments would you use for a rawinsonde observation?

A)aerovane
B)radiosonde
C)cup anemometer
D)wind profiler

Question 31

Which of the following characterizes the winter monsoon in eastern and southern Asia?

A)wet weather and winds blowing from land to sea
B)wet weather and winds blowing from sea to land
C)dry weather and winds blowing from land to sea
D)dry weather and winds blowing from sea to land

Question 32

Which of the following features could indicate the prevailing wind direction?

A)stumped trees
B)sand dunes
C)sand bar
D)sand vegetation

Question 33

Which of the following is the major cause of land breezes?

A)the rapid heating and cooling of water relative to land
B)the flow of air down mountain slopes
C)cool air flowing onshore during the day
D)air flowing offshore that develops at night as the land cools

Question 34

Which of the following combinations represents an accurate association between scale and wind type?

A)microscale and chinook wind
B)mesoscale and land breeze
C)synoptic scale and sea breeze
D)planetary scale and lake breeze

Question 35

Which of the following characterizes the summer monsoon in eastern and southern Asia?

A)wet weather and winds blowing from land to sea
B)dry weather and winds blowing from sea to land
C)wet weather and winds blowing from sea to land
D)dry weather and winds blowing from land to sea

Question 36

Satellites provide a global picture of winds by converting which of the following factors into wind speed and direction?

A)cloud patterns
B)wind shear
C)sea roughness
D)thermal turbulence

Question 37

In which of the following locations can Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) occur?

A)away from a jet stream
B)where weak wind shear exists
C)over the oceans
D)in areas of mountain waves

Question 38

Which of the following defines a katabatic wind?

A)a warm, downslope wind
B)a cold, downslope wind
C)a cold, upslope wind
D)a warm, upslope wind

Question 39

Pedalling a bicycle into a 20 knot wind requires about how much effort compared to pedalling into a 10 knot wind?

A)10 times more effort
B)4 times more effort
C)2 times more effort
D)the same amount of effort

Question 40

Which of the following terms refers to a warm, dry, gusty wind that blows across North Africa?

A)buran
B)levanter
C)sirocco
D)burga

Question 41

Which of the following defines chinook winds?

A)cold, dry, downslope winds
B)cold, moist, downslope winds
C)warm, moist, downslope winds
D)warm, dry, downslope winds

Question 42

Which of the following is the name for an abrupt change in wind speed or wind direction?

A)an air pocket
B)squall
C)wind shear
D)flurry

Question 43

Which of the following features defines monsoon depressions?

A)upper-level jet streams
B)huge drainage gullies that are produced during the heavy rains in the summer monsoon
C)large reservoirs used for irrigation that fill with water during the summer monsoon
D)low-pressure areas that enhance rainfall during the summer monsoon

Question 44

A smog front is most often associated with which of the following wind systems?

A)Santa Ana
B)sea breeze
C)chinook
D)monsoon

Question 45

Which of the following is the main reason why Santa Ana winds are warm?

A)solar heating warms the air
B)sinking air warms by compression
C)latent heat is released in rising air
D)condensation occurs

Question 46

Which of the following is an accurate statement about a sea breeze?

A)It is strongly affected by the Coriolis force.
B)It flows from land to sea.
C)It is most common in winter.
D)It requires the formation of a surface low-pressure centre inland.

Question 47

Which of the following features defines a chinook wall cloud?

A)a bank of clouds that forms over the mountains and signals the possible onset of a chinook
B)a row of intense thunderstorms that bring heavy rain to eastern Alberta
C)a sandstorm that marks the leading edge of the chinook
D)a cloud of smoke that marks the advancing edge of the chinook

Question 48

At which of the following times is thermal turbulence above the surface usually most severe?

A)immediately after sunset
B)at the time of maximum surface heating
C)around midnight
D)just before sunrise

Question 49

Which of the following gives an example of microscale motion?

A)winds blowing past a chimney
B)winds blowing through a city
C)winds on a surface weather map of North America
D)winds on a 500 hPa chart

Question 50

The depth to which mixing occurs above the surface depends upon which of the following on a clear, windy day?

A)surface cooling
B)moisture content
C)landscape
D)wind direction

Question 51

Which of the following winds often result in cumulus clouds that appear above isolated mountain peaks?

A)katabatic winds
B)valley breezes
C)fall winds
D)mountain winds

Question 52

Which of the following is the name for violent, rotating eddies that create hazardous flying conditions beneath the crest of a mountain wave?

A)mountainadoes
B)rollers
C)rotors
D)dust devils

Question 53

Consider the isobaric surfaces drawn in the figure below. Referring to the right and left sides of this figure, which of the following options gives (i) the location of the warmest air, (ii) the location of the highest surface pressure, and (iii) the direction of the upper level winds? ​

A)The warmest air is on the right side and the highest surface pressure is on the right side.
B)The warmest air is on the right side and the highest surface pressure is on the left side.
C)The warmest air is on the left side and the highest surface pressure is on the right side.
D)The warmest air is on the left side and the highest surface pressure is on the left side.

Question 54

Which of the following terms refers to the friction of fluid flow?

A)compression
B)viscosity
C)convergence
D)shear

Question 55

Which of the following results from strong winds blowing over vegetation?

A)slow water loss
B)increased photosynthesis
C)decreased crop productivity
D)physically undamaged plants

Question 56

Suppose the wind speed increases from 8 km/h to 40 km/h. Which of the following expresses the factor by which the force of the wind will have increased?

A)2
B)4
C)5
D)25

Question 57

Which of the following conditions are necessary for hang-gliding?

A)upward air motions
B)high wind shear
C)molecular viscosity
D)thermal turbulence

Question 58

When do strong chinook winds develop in the Lethbridge area?

A)During the summer when a low-pressure centre forms
B)During the winter when a high-pressure centre forms
C)During the winter when a low-pressure centre forms
D)During the summer when a high-pressure centre forms

Question 59

Which of the following is formed when a sea breeze moving north meets a sea breeze moving south?

A)land breeze convergence zone
B)valley breeze convergence zone
C)sea breeze convergence zone
D)katabatic wind convergence zone

Question 60

At which of the following times are surface winds generally strongest and most gusty?

A)just after sunset
B)in the early morning
C)around midnight
D)in the afternoon

Question 61

Which of the following is the name for an extremely strong downslope wind that occurs in parts of Antarctica?

A)monsoon circulation
B)Santa Ana wind
C)katabatic wind
D)mountain breeze

Question 62

Which of the following is the main factor that generates the heat from a chinook wind?

A)warm, ocean water
B)sunlight
C)compressional heating
D)friction with the ground

Question 63

Suppose the wind speed doubles. Which of the following expresses the factor by which the force of the wind increases?

A)1.5
B)8
C)4
D)2

Question 64

In which of the following conditions does a sea breeze most likely develop along a coastline?

A)when the relative humidity is high away from the shore
B)when the relative humidity is low away from the shore
C)when pressure gradients are small away from the shore
D)when pressure gradients are large away from the shore

Question 65

The second greatest wind speed ever recorded at the Earth's surface occurred at which of the following locations?

A)Cheyenne, Wyoming
B)Miami, Florida
C)Mt.Washington, New Hampshire
D)Mt.Pleasant, Iowa

Question 66

At which of the following times does a mountain breeze develop its maximum strength?

A)about an hour after sunset
B)just before sunrise
C)about midnight
D)early afternoon

Question 67

Which of the following can cause a seiche?

A)convection over a large land mass
B)very strong winds
C)high mountains interfering with a westerly wind flow
D)wind shear at very high altitudes

Question 68

A land/sea breeze, a mountain/valley breeze, and a lake breeze are examples of which of the following?

A)thermal circulations
B)mechanical circulations
C)atmospheric longwave circulations
D)atmospheric vertical circulations

Question 69

Which of the following characterizes the chinook wind that blows into southern Alberta?

A)cold and dry
B)warm and moist
C)warm and dry
D)cold and damp

Question 70

Which of the following conditions represents a serious hazard to aircraft?

A)molecular viscosity
B)clear-air turbulence
C)longwaves in the westerlies
D)laminar flow

Question 71

Suppose the sea level pressure in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is 1016 hPa. Which of the following gives the sea level pressure just off the coast of Halifax, when the strongest summertime sea breeze is blowing along the Nova Scotia coast?

A)1016 hPa
B)1015 hPa
C)1018 hPa
D)1021 hPa

Question 72

In which season does low pressure become best developed over the Asian continent?

A)winter
B)fall
C)spring
D)summer

Question 73

Which of the following terms is another name for a small, rotating whirlwind observed at the surface?

A)haboob
B)rotor
C)dust devil
D)seiche

Question 74

Which of the following is a wind instrument that usually consists of three or more cups?

A)wind profiler
B)aerovane
C)wind vane
D)anemometer

Question 75

Which of the following is the name for a strong, usually cold, downslope wind?

A)valley wind
B)katabatic wind
C)haboob wind
D)monsoon wind

Question 76

How do Santa Ana winds warm as they flow down an elevated desert plateau?

A)by condensation
B)by compression
C)by evaporation
D)by expansion

Question 77

Which of the following is the name of a wind that blows off the ice sheets in Antarctica?

A)fall wind
B)gap wind
C)katabatic wind
D)foehn wind

Question 78

Which of the following terms refers to a dust or sandstorm that forms along the leading edge of a thunderstorm?

A)chinook
B)foehn
C)haboob
D)bora

Question 79

Which of the following instruments indicates wind direction?

A)wind vane
B)cup anemometer
C)aerovane
D)psychrometer

Question 80

The size and shape of a turbulent eddy depend on which of the following factors?

A)the temperature of the air
B)the temperature of the obstacle
C)the direction of the wind
D)the shape of the obstacle