| Air Masses and Fronts | ||
| #1 | What is an air mass? | A huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure throughout it. |
| #2 | Scientists classify air masses according to _________ and ____________. | temperature and humidity |
| #3 | Polar air masses have HIGH/LOW air pressure. | high |
| #4 | What are the characteristics of a maritime polar air mass? | cool and moist/humid |
| #5 | Name the four types of fronts. | cold front, warm front, stationary front, and occluded front. |
| Storms | ||
| #1 | What is a storm? | a violent disturbance in the atmosphere |
| #2 | Where do tornadoes occur most often? | The Great Plains of the United States |
| #3 | Thunderstorms and tornadoes can form from what type of cloud? | cumulonimbus clouds |
| #4 | A "dome" of water that sweeps across the coast where the hurricane lands is called a(n) _____________. | Storm Surge |
| #5 | When does snow fall? | Snow falls when humid air cools below 0 degrees Celsius |
| Floods | ||
| #1 | True or False: Floods are the most dangerous weather-related events in the United States. | True |
| #2 | What is a flash flood? | A sudden, violent flood that occurs within a few hours, or even minutes, of a storm. |
| #3 | What are two things that can cause a floah flood? | Rain, Dams breaking, Ice jams breaking free. |
| #4 | Describe the difference between a flood warning and a flood watch. | warning: An announcement that floods have already been reported or are about to occur; watch: an announcment describing the area in which flooding is possible. |
| #5 | What are other ways, besides high waters, that floods can cause damage? | power outages, landslides, polluted drinking water, interruption of emergency services. |
| #1 | True or False: Winds spiral inward towards the center of a cyclone. | true |
| #2 | What normally happens to the strength of a hurricane as it hits land? | It decreases |
| #3 | Why do hurricanes NOT form in the Northern Atlanic Ocean? | Because the hurricanes need the energy of warm ocean water to form, and the waters of the North Atlantic are too cool to provide enough energy. |
| #4 | IN the Northern Hemisphere, in which direction do the winds of a cyclone always spin? | counterclockwise |
| #5 | A warm-water event that occurs periodically in the Pacific Ocean is called _________ |
El Nino |
| Extra Extra!! | ||
| #1 | Scientists who study the causes of weather an try to predict it are called __________. | Meteorologists |
| #2 | Where is the safest place to be during a tornado? | In the basement of a well-built building |
| #3 | Describe a cold front? | A rapidly moving cold air mass runs into a slowly moving warm air mass. |
| #4 | A sudden energy discharge between parts of acloud or between the cloud and the ground is called __________. |
Lightning |
| #5 | Describe an occluded front? | A warm air mass is caught between two cooler air masses. |
| Final Question | |