Deck 11: Hurricanes and Extratropical Cyclones

Question 1

Which of the following is the correct classification for a Nor'easter?

A) A Nor'easter is a hurricane.
B) A Nor'easter is a typhoon.
C) A Nor'easter is an extratropical cyclone.
D) A Nor'easter is a tropical cyclone.
E) A Nor'easter is a monsoon.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

What is the primary difference between a tropical disturbance and a tropical depression?

A) Tropical depressions have a distinct central low pressure zone.
B) Tropical disturbances are larger.
C) Tropical disturbances have greater winds.
D) Tropical depressions are closer to the equator.
E) Tropical disturbances have higher pressures.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which way do winds around a low pressure in the Northern Hemisphere blow?

A) clockwise
B) counter-clockwise
C) northeast
D) northwest
E) landward

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A storm surge

A) is a rapid local rise is sea level.
B) is an advancing wall of water.
C) causes less damage than wind.
D) is not affected by the shape of the coastline.
E) is associated with rising atmospheric pressure.

Question 5

Inland flooding associated with hurricanes and tropical depressions

A) increases when topographical boundaries are encountered.
B) usually last for less than 12 hours.
C) is greater for fast moving storms.
D) is greater if the soil in the region is dry.
E) is always greater for stronger storms.

Question 6

Storm surges associated with hurricanes are most influenced by the

A) size of the storm.
B) temperature of the water.
C) depth of the water.
D) shape of the coastline.
E) temperature of the air.

Question 7

Extratropical cyclones differ from tropical cyclones in that they

A) create strong wind storms in winter months.
B) the region at risk in North America is smaller.
C) they do not produce thunderstorms.
D) they do not produce tornadoes.
E) they do not result in loss of life.

Question 8

What aspect of hurricanes causes the most fatalities?

A) high winds
B) heavy rain
C) lightning
D) flying debris
E) storm surge

Question 9

Cyclones are characterized by their intensity,which is indicated by

A) wind speed and atmospheric pressure.
B) damage.
C) temperature and wind speed.
D) death toll.
E) atmospheric pressure and temperature.

Question 10

A category 4 hurricane might have

A) a wind speed of 130 km/hour.
B) storm surge of 1.0 m above normal.
C) shrubs, trees and all signs blown down.
D) minor flooding to coastal roads.
E) small craft break moorings.

Question 11

Who names a hurricane?

A) The name is picked sequentially from a list of names for that year.
B) The first person who sees it gets to name the hurricane.
C) A distinguished meteorologist names the hurricane.
D) Each country gets to name one hurricane each year.
E) The governor of the state most likely to be hit gets to name the hurricane.

Question 12

What is a typhoon?

A) A tropical cyclone in Western Pacific.
B) An extratropical cyclone that moves up a coastline.
C) A tropical cyclone in the Northern Atlantic.
D) A name for a hurricane once it makes landfall.
E) A tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean.

Question 13

The forward speed of a hurricane

A) is typically less than 27 km/hour.
B) decreases towards the end of its life.
C) is typically greater than 27 km/hour.
D) is influenced by the location of the Bermuda High.
E) is faster closer to the equator.

Question 14

Clouds that spiral around a hurricane are called

A) squall lines.
B) rain bands.
C) the jet stream.
D) the eye wall.
E) hot towers.

Question 15

A hurricane is assigned a name when the

A) winds reach 119 km per hour.
B) winds reach 63 km per hour.
C) low pressure is formed.
D) rain bands form.
E) eye forms.

Question 16

Hurricanes are a serious threat

A) to the Atlantic coast of Canada.
B) to the Pacific Coast of Canada.
C) to any coastal region.
D) only to regions between 5 degrees and 20 degrees latitude.
E) only in the summer months.

Question 17

Why is hurricane risk increasing rapidly in the United States?

A) Insurance companies have stopped insuring coastal property.
B) The U.S. federal government will no longer provide disaster relief to hurricane-prone regions.
C) Sea level is rising about one meter per year putting more people at risk.
D) Human population density in coastal areas is skyrocketing.
E) Hurricanes are getting stronger due to global warming.

Question 18

Tropical cyclones typically

A) form over both land and water.
B) have wind speeds of at least 80 km/hr.
C) form over oceans warmer than 26°C.
D) form only in the northern hemisphere.
E) are associated with regions of high pressure.

Question 19

What does the Saffir-Simpson Scale use to classify hurricanes?

A) storm surge
B) rain amount
C) duration of rain
D) wind speed
E) central core temperature

Question 20

What category would a hurricane with winds in excess of 249 km per hour be on the Saffir-Simpson Scale?

A) Category 1
B) Category 2
C) Category 3
D) Category 4
E) Category 5

Question 21

Why are hurricanes uncommon on the equator?

A) It is too hot there.
B) It is too cold there.
C) There is too much wind there.
D) There is too little wind there.
E) There is too little Coriolis Effect there.

Question 22

Why does an occluded front form?

A) Slow moving cold fronts push warm fronts downward.
B) Slow moving cold fronts are overtaken by warm fronts.
C) Fast moving cold fronts overtake other cold fronts.
D) Fast moving cold fronts push warm air downward.
E) Fast moving cold fronts overtake warm fronts and keeps it aloft.

Question 23

Where is the majority of precipitation in a hurricane?

A) rain bands
B) eye walls
C) eye
D) just outside the rain bands
E) in the northwest corner of the storm

Question 24

What is different about an extratropical cyclone as compared to a tropical cyclone?

A) Extratropical cyclones are associated with frontal activity.
B) Extratropical cyclones are associated with low pressures.
C) Extratropical cyclones are associated with storm surges.
D) Extratropical cyclones spin counter-clockwise.
E) Extratropical cyclones have distinct areas of calm called eyes.

Question 25

What conditions do you need for a hurricane to develop?

A) thick layer of warm water at ocean surface
B) atmosphere that allows warm air to cool quickly in atmosphere
C) weak upper level winds
D) the formation of a tropical storm
E) All of the above are necessary for a hurricane to develop.

Question 26

Why do hurricanes in the North Atlantic go from east to west and then turn northward?

A) Trade winds push them east to west and steering winds turn them northward.
B) Water temperatures push them towards colder water.
C) Ocean current push them to the north.
D) Repelling forces from the continents push them out to sea.
E) Westerlies push them to the west and trade winds push them northward.

Question 27

The official Atlantic hurricane season is

A) September through October.
B) June through November.
C) July through September.
D) August through October.
E) variable each year.

Question 28

Why is the eye the calmest part of the storm?

A) The Coriolis Force causes the storms to stay in a ring around the eye.
B) The low atmospheric pressure dissipates clouds.
C) The warm central core burns off any humidity in the center.
D) Rotating air causes dry air to sink into the eye.
E) Air from the bottom of the storm enters the eye and is pushed upward.

Question 29

Which of the following locations has the highest strike risk for hurricanes?

A) New York
B) Ontario
C) Nova Scotia
D) British Columbia
E) Florida

Question 30

What is the primary difference between a tropical depression and a tropical storm?

A) amount of spin
B) wind speed
C) amount of rain
D) cloud height
E) storm surge amount

Question 31

What are the rain bands made up of?

A) cool air that swirls around the eye
B) warm air that swirls around the eye
C) thunderstorms that swirl around the eye
D) liquid water that swirls around the eye
E) high pressure winds that swirl around the eye

Question 32

Why do extratropical cyclones form?

A) Cold air moving towards the tropics meets with warm air moving towards the poles.
B) Cold fronts moving eastward meet with warm fronts moving westward.
C) Polar jet stream meets with a barrier.
D) Tropical jet stream meets with warm ocean water.
E) Hurricanes cross over small islands in the North Pacific.

Question 33

Where is the calmest part of the storm?

A) rain bands
B) eyewalls
C) eye
D) just outside the rain bands
E) in the northwest corner of the storm

Question 34

What is TRUE about a hurricane as it makes landfall?

A) The hurricane is cut off from the warm water and it decreases its strength.
B) The friction of the coastline decreases the hurricane's strength.
C) Interactions with trees, houses and buildings decrease the hurricane's strength.
D) All energy is cut off to the hurricane and it immediately stops.
E) The hurricane increases in intensity as it causes damage.

Question 35

How does an extratropical cyclone dissipate?

A) The pressure gradient weakens as cold air displaces the warm air around the cyclone.
B) The pressure gradient strengthens as cold air moves aloft of the warm air.
C) The fronts move apart so there is no more interaction.
D) The cyclone moves out over water and loses strength.
E) Cold and warm air is mixed to make air whose temperature is an average of the two.

Question 36

Where in the world are you least likely to get hurricanes?

A) Northwest Pacific Ocean
B) Indian Ocean
C) Northwest Atlantic Ocean
D) Southwest Pacific Ocean
E) Southeast Atlantic

Question 37

What is the correct order of tropical cyclone development (least to most developed)?

A) tropical depression, tropical disturbance, tropical storm, hurricane
B) tropical storm, tropical depression, tropical disturbance, hurricane
C) tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane
D) hurricane, tropical depression, tropical storm, tropical disturbance
E) hurricane, tropical storm, tropical disturbance, tropical depression

Question 38

Where are you most likely to see an extratropical cyclone?

A) travelling across Southern Canada
B) travelling up eastern U.S. coast waters
C) travelling across the Mid-West U.S.
D) travelling towards Northeast Coast U.S.
E) All of the above are places to see an extratropical cyclone.

Question 39

Which of the following locations has the lowest risk for hurricanes?

A) New York
B) Ontario
C) Nova Scotia
D) British Columbia
E) Florida

Question 40

Why do you need a steep vertical temperature gradient in the atmosphere in order to get hurricane development?

A) If the atmosphere warms quickly with increasing altitude then the humidity will go up.
B) If the atmosphere warms quickly with increasing altitude then the surface air can continue to rise.
C) If the atmosphere cools quickly with increasing altitude then the humidity of the air will decrease.
D) If the atmosphere cools quickly with increasing altitude then the surface air can continue to rise.
E) If the temperature in the atmosphere changes continuously then it will cause turbulence in the air stream.

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT a way in which human activity impacts the effects of cyclones?

A) Humans contribute to global warming that may make hurricanes more intense.
B) Urbanization of the coastline puts more people at risk from hurricane hazards.
C) Exhaust from jet engines can make thunderstorm intensity increase and become hurricanes.
D) Leveling of sand dunes makes the shoreline more vulnerable to erosion.
E) Construction of seawalls can reflect wave action and increase erosion.

Question 42

Which of the following is NOT something that you should do in preparation for a hurricane?

A) Open all windows on your house in the path of the storm.
B) Obtain flood insurance.
C) Learn an evacuation route.
D) Install heavy shutters on windows and latch them during the hurricane.
E) Make a family emergency plan.

Question 43

The hurricane that started as a tropical cyclone and became an extratropical cyclone,resulting in 81 fatalities in Toronto,Ontario was

A) Juan in 2003.
B) Hazel in 1954.
C) Katrina in 2005.
D) Ivan in 2004.
E) Sandy in 2012.

Question 44

The flow of warm air,which is the source of extratropical cyclones along the Pacific coast in the winter,is known as the

A) Pineapple Express.
B) Easterly Waves.
C) Occluded Front.
D) Coriolis Effect.
E) Nor'easter.

Question 45

Though tropical cyclones form over water,extratropical cyclones can form over land or water.

Question 46

Hurricanes are commonly associated with either warm or cold fronts.

Question 47

Which is NOT an effect of hurricanes?

A) high winds
B) storm surge
C) flooding
D) mudslides
E) land subsidence

Question 48

Cyclone is a word used to describe storms that are particularly intense.

Question 49

Which of the following will NOT affect the amount of storm surge on a coastline?

A) fetch
B) atmospheric pressure
C) shape of coastline
D) age of the storm
E) All of the above affect the amount of storm surge.

Question 50

What is storm surge?

A) a large amount of rainfall
B) a large increase in sea level
C) a large amount of wind
D) a sudden increase in rainfall
E) a sudden increase in wind

Question 51

Hurricane Juan was a ________ on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

A) category 1
B) category 2
C) category 3
D) category 4
E) category 5

Question 52

Which of the following tools are used to make forecasts for hurricanes?

A) weather satellites
B) aircraft
C) doppler radar
D) weather buoys
E) All of the above are used to make forecasts.

Question 53

What does it mean if a hurricane warning has been issued?

A) Conditions are good for a hurricane to form in your area.
B) You should open your windows and doors for the hurricane winds to blow through.
C) A hurricane is possible in the next 48 hours.
D) You should plan to evacuate if you are in a low lying area in the path of the hurricane.
E) Meteorologists have spotted a tropical storm and are watching to see if it will turn into a hurricane.

Question 54

Which of the following may NOT increase with increasing category on the Saffir-Simpson scale?

A) wind speed
B) storm surge amounts
C) central pressures
D) rainfall amounts
E) All of the above will increase for larger categories of storms.

Question 55

Which of the following is a way in which communities can prepare for a hurricane?

A) Install accurate warning systems.
B) Plan and publicize evacuation routes.
C) Make flooding insurance available to potential victims.
D) Use effective building designs for structures in the hurricane zone.
E) All of the above are ways in which communities can prepare for a hurricane.

Question 56

Why is coastal erosion from cyclones a problem?

A) Valuable beach may be eroded causing economic problems.
B) Vegetation and sand dunes may be eroded causing inland structures to become more vulnerable to storms.
C) Boats on inland bays may be cutoff from the ocean by sediments blocking inlets.
D) Ground may become eroded bringing down structures.
E) All of the above are reasons why coastal erosion from cyclones is a problem.

Question 57

How are hurricanes beneficial to ecosystems?

A) Winds carry plants, animals, and microorganisms.
B) Waves stir up deeper, nutrient-rich waters.
C) Winds topple weak and diseased trees in forests.
D) Waves break apart some corals.
E) All of the above are benefits of hurricanes.

Question 58

What likely hazard would an extratropical cyclone bring to Canada in January?

A) rain
B) tornadoes
C) thunderstorms
D) snow
E) None - extratropical cyclones do not form in winter.

Question 59

Cyclones are large cells of moisture-laden air that rotate around an area of high pressure.

Question 60

The worst hurricane to hit the east coast of Canada since 1873 was

A) Juan in 2003.
B) Hazel in 1954.
C) Katrina in 2005.
D) Ivan in 2004.
E) Sandy in 2012.

Question 61

Most tropical cyclones develop between 5 degrees and 20 degrees latitude.

Question 62

Hurricanes can generate tornadoes.

Question 63

Cyclones spin in opposite directions in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres due to the Coriolis effect.

Question 64

Tropical cyclones are storms that rotate around a centre of high atmospheric pressure.

Question 65

The eye of the hurricane is an area of relative calm.

Question 66

Before they become hurricanes,they start out as tropical depressions and then tropical storms.

Question 67

Extratropical cyclones always move over water before making landfall.

Question 68

In the winter,extratropical cyclones are the major source of rain and snowfall along the Pacific coast.

Question 69

Tropical disturbances for the Atlantic Ocean are caused by easterly waves off of the coast of Africa.

Question 70

All of the North American east coast has some risk of hurricanes.

Question 71

Extratropical cyclones usually don't have wind or storm surge associated with them.

Question 72

A nor'easter is a storm that moves along coastal waters bringing storm surges to coastline cities and blizzard conditions to inland cities in the winter.

Question 73

Approximately half of the hurricanes that make landfall in the United States spawn tornadoes.

Question 74

Once a storm is assigned a category on the Saffir-Simpson Scale,it pretty much stays that way.

Question 75

If you saw a satellite image of a tropical cyclone that was rotating in a clockwise direction,it would have to be a storm in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 76

Extratropical cyclones are associated with cold,warm,and occluded fronts.

Question 77

Extratropical cyclones are rarer than Tropical Cyclones are and one has not been seen in Canada in over 100 years.

Question 78

Hurricanes usually dissipate when they make landfall due to the increased friction of the land.

Question 79

Names for devastating hurricanes,like Hurricane Katrina and Juan,are retired and never will be used again.

Question 80

Hurricanes follow predictable paths,allowing the National Hurricane Center to accurately predict the location of landfall several days in advance.