Chapter #13.1 Solutions - Understanding Weather and Climate - James E Burt, Edward Aguado - 7th Edition

1fs. Forecasting the Winter of 2013-2014Usually we think of weather forecasts in terms of whether tonight’s baseball game might be cancelled or if a stroll through the park is a good idea or not. But forecasting the arrival of major weather events is the primary mission of a NWS forecaster—the agency’s number one responsibility is the protection of life and property. We saw earlier in this chapter that the seasonal forecast did not anticipate the kind of winter that actually occurred. The societal ramifications of a failed seasonal forecast are probably fairly minor, however, compared to a failed short-term forecast.Consider, for example, the major snow and ice storm that hit the Southeast on January 28, 2014. Many residents of Atlanta, Georgia, and—most importantly—numerous city officials believed that heavy snow would hit the general area but fall mostly to the south of the city. As a result, schools and businesses remained open and people took the roads for their homeward journey in the afternoon as usual. But the snow proved to be quite heavy and motorists found themselves stuck on highways made impassable by the snow. Some people remained in their cars for up to 11 hours. The hardship wasn’t limited to the Atlanta area, as snow across the Deep South totally shut down traffic (Figure 13-1-1). In Birmingham, Alabama, hundreds of schoolchildren spent the night at school and did not return home until the next day.Was the Atlanta experience the fault of an errant forecast? Not really. The previous evening forecasters had called off a winter storm warning for Atlanta, but advised that a small change in overall conditions could cause a major changein where and when snow would arrive. Then during the predawn hours the local NWS office reissued a winter storm warning and advised that snow would likely begin in the midmorning and continue through the following morning. They also specifically indicated that snow-covered roads and reduced visibility would make travel difficult.This weather event highlighted one of the biggest difficulties in weather forecasts: dealing with precipitation amounts that may vary a lot over short distances. In some cases the transition from heavy snow to a light dusting may occur over a few tens of miles. Thus, a forecast that is generally correct may be off the mark for people on either side of the transition zone. Similarly, a very minor error in forecasted temperature can mean that people expecting a moderate rainfall may instead find themselves slogging through deep snow. Forecasters generally try to convey these uncertainties to the public and emergency managers....FIGURE 13-1-1 Ice Storm, January 28, 2014. Parents in Birmingham, Alabama leave their cars and walk to pick up high school students stranded overnight.What could residents and officials have done differently to reduce the impact of the January 2014 snowstorm? Get solution

2fs. Forecasting the Winter of 2013-2014Usually we think of weather forecasts in terms of whether tonight’s baseball game might be cancelled or if a stroll through the park is a good idea or not. But forecasting the arrival of major weather events is the primary mission of a NWS forecaster—the agency’s number one responsibility is the protection of life and property. We saw earlier in this chapter that the seasonal forecast did not anticipate the kind of winter that actually occurred. The societal ramifications of a failed seasonal forecast are probably fairly minor, however, compared to a failed short-term forecast.Consider, for example, the major snow and ice storm that hit the Southeast on January 28, 2014. Many residents of Atlanta, Georgia, and—most importantly—numerous city officials believed that heavy snow would hit the general area but fall mostly to the south of the city. As a result, schools and businesses remained open and people took the roads for their homeward journey in the afternoon as usual. But the snow proved to be quite heavy and motorists found themselves stuck on highways made impassable by the snow. Some people remained in their cars for up to 11 hours. The hardship wasn’t limited to the Atlanta area, as snow across the Deep South totally shut down traffic (Figure 13-1-1). In Birmingham, Alabama, hundreds of schoolchildren spent the night at school and did not return home until the next day.Was the Atlanta experience the fault of an errant forecast? Not really. The previous evening forecasters had called off a winter storm warning for Atlanta, but advised that a small change in overall conditions could cause a major changein where and when snow would arrive. Then during the predawn hours the local NWS office reissued a winter storm warning and advised that snow would likely begin in the midmorning and continue through the following morning. They also specifically indicated that snow-covered roads and reduced visibility would make travel difficult.This weather event highlighted one of the biggest difficulties in weather forecasts: dealing with precipitation amounts that may vary a lot over short distances. In some cases the transition from heavy snow to a light dusting may occur over a few tens of miles. Thus, a forecast that is generally correct may be off the mark for people on either side of the transition zone. Similarly, a very minor error in forecasted temperature can mean that people expecting a moderate rainfall may instead find themselves slogging through deep snow. Forecasters generally try to convey these uncertainties to the public and emergency managers....FIGURE 13-1-1 Ice Storm, January 28, 2014. Parents in Birmingham, Alabama leave their cars and walk to pick up high school students stranded overnight.What factors can make the prediction of heavy snow particularly difficult? Get solution


Chapter #17 Solutions - Understanding Weather and Climate - James E Burt, Edward Aguado - 7th Edition

1c. What happens to light if it enters a medium of higher density? Get solution 1ct. Consider the way the apparent position of the...