With respect to the three main lifting (cooling) mechanisms (local heating, orographic, and frontal), which of the following is correct?
A) The greatest average annual rainfall on Earth is due to local heating and frontal activity.
B) A single convectional storm triggered by local heating affects large geographical regions.
C) We do not get all three mechanisms within the United States.
D) Given the necessary physical requirements, orographic precipitation is usually the most consistent type of the three.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Given the necessary physical requirements, such as mountains, orographic precipitation is usually the most consistent type of the three. While local heating and frontal activity can result in high rainfall totals in certain regions, they are not as consistent as orographic precipitation. Additionally, a single convectional storm triggered by local heating typically affects a relatively small area, so choice B is incorrect. Choice C is also incorrect because all three lifting mechanisms occur within the United States.

With Respect to the Three Main Lifting (Cooling) Mechanisms (Local