Chapter #10 Solutions - Understanding Weather and Climate - James E Burt, Edward Aguado - 7th Edition

1c. Is the analogy between a wartime battle front and a weather front a good one? Why or why not? Get solution

1ct. Why is the term polar front theory probably a misnomer in view of current knowledge about cyclogenesis? Get solution

1. Go to http://weather.mvyo.edu/upperair/uainap.html and click the Get Map button to view the current 500 mb map for North America. Without referring to a surface map, make an educated guess about the position of surface midlatitude cyclones, cold fronts, and warm fronts. Then go to http://weather.uwyo.edu/surface/front.html to see how well your educated guess worked out (be sure to highlight Analysis for image type). Get solution

1rq. Define cyclogenesis. Where does it most commonly occur, according to the original polar front theory? Get solution

1va. This weather map from October 14, 2013, plots the height of the 500 mb level, Examine distribution of these values on the map to answer the questions below. (Hint: Figures 10-7 and 10-8 provide useful background for answering the questions.)Identify the location and orientation of the major troughs and ridges.... Get solution

2c. What observations led to the development of the polar front theory? Get solution

2ct. A commercial aircraft is flying at the 300 mb level and goes across a midlatitude cyclone over both the cold and warm fronts. What kind of weather changes might the aircraft encounter? Get solution

2. Using the same website as for Problem 1, print the maps of the surface, 300, 500, 700, and 850 mb levels What patterns emerge as you move upward? Get solution

2rq. Describe the isobar and wind patterns associated with mature midlatitude cyclones. Get solution

2va. This weather map from October 14, 2013, plots the height of the 500 mb level, Examine distribution of these values on the map to answer the questions below. (Hint: Figures 10-7 and 10-8 provide useful background for answering the questions.)Which location over the United States has the highest vorticity?... Get solution

3c. What initial conditions are required for the formation of a midlatitude cyclone? Get solution

3ct. After a front is fully occluded, its demise is imminent. Why can’t the occluded front persist for several more weeks? Get solution

3. Visit http://weather.uwyo.edu/surface/front.html on a daily basis and keep track of existing midlatitude cyclones and their associated fronts (click the most recent map available). Do the systems correspond well to the life cycle described in this chapter? Get solution

3rq. Where is precipitation most likely to be found within midlatitude cyclones? Get solution

3va. This weather map from October 14, 2013, plots the height of the 500 mb level, Examine distribution of these values on the map to answer the questions below. (Hint: Figures 10-7 and 10-8 provide useful background for answering the questions.)Where do you anticipate the zone of maximum divergence?... Get solution

4c. In a mature cyclone, which area of precipitation might deliver the greatest rainfall totals: the area ahead of the cold front or the area ahead of the warm front? Explain. Get solution

4ct. Why can’t systems similar to midlatitude cyclones develop over the tropics? Get solution

4rq. Where within a midlatitude cyclone are overrunning, convergence, and instability likely to serve as precipitation- inducing processes? Get solution

5c. What are positive vorticity and negative vorticity? Get solution

5ct. Vorticity is usually discussed with reference to a vertical axis. What types of Earth, relative, and absolute vorticity conditions would you expect to exist with regard to a horizontal axis? Get solution

5rq. What are Earth, relative, and absolute vorticity? Get solution

6c. Discuss the role of vorticity in the formation of the cyclone shown in Figure 10-7. Get solution

6ct. Why don’t thermal lows migrate like dynamic lows do? Get solution

6rq. Why is counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere said to have positive vorticity? Get solution

7c. Assuming the same pressure at the surface, which would have higher pressure at an altitude of 1 km: a cold air column or a warm air column? Explain. Get solution

7ct. Why do forecasters take particular interest in the distribution of vorticity on 500 mb weather maps? Get solution

7rq. Where are the zones of positive, negative, and zero vorticity in a typical ridge and trough pattern? Get solution

8c. Why does the polar jet stream lie above the frontal boundary? Get solution

8ct. Clear skies often portend warm conditions during the summer but are often associated with very cold conditions in the winter. Explain why this is true. Get solution

8rq. In what part of a ridge and trough system do you find the areas of decreasing and increasing vorticity? Why is their existence important? Get solution

9c. Referring to Figure 10-11, describe the situation that existed on the morning of April 15 at the surface and at the 500 mb level. Get solution

9ct. Are Rossby waves likely to have greater representation in the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere? Why? Get solution

9rq. How do dynamic and thermal lows differ from each other? Get solution

10c. How closely does the polar jet stream correspond to the location of the major fronts of the storm over the entire period depicted in Figures 10-11 through 10-14? Get solution

10rq. Where are upper-level divergence and convergence most likely to occur? Get solution

11c. How does an Alberta Clipper differ from a Colorado Low? Explain. Get solution

11rq. What type of upper-level condition typically lies above and behind a cold front? Get solution

12c. What role do convergence and divergence in Rossby waves play in the eventual dissipation of a midlatitude cyclone? Get solution

12rq. Where are upper-level ridges generally located relative to midlatitude cyclones? Get solution

13c. Describe the positioning and flow of the warm and cold conveyor melts. Get solution

13rq. What are diffluence and speed divergence? How do they differ from confluence and speed convergence? Get solution

14c. What effect does the dry conveyor belt have on the temperature contrasts across a cold front? Get solution

14rq. If the upper-level airflow over North America is zonal, what can you infer with regard to widespread precipitation conditions? Get solution

15c. What kind of cloud and wind conditions are usually associated with anticyclones? Get solution

15rq. Which type of general upper-level airflow is more likely to occur if minimal temperature variations exist across North America? Get solution

16c. List three examples of important weather events associated with anticyclones. Get solution

16rq. Describe the three conveyor belts of the conveyor belt model of midlatitude cyclones. How does the conveyor belt model differ from the description of airflow presented in the original polar front model? Get solution

17c. What kind of shift has occurred in the wintertime midlatitude cyclone tracks during the 20th century? Get solution

17rq. Explain how the movement of midlatitude cyclones relative to the upper-level airflow contributes to the demise of cyclones. Get solution

18c. What impacts of climate warming have been projected for the path of winter storm tracks? Get solution