Jon Ahlquist 12/3/2006MET1010 Intro to the Atmosphere 1Review of chap 14: Thunderstorms What is the definition of a thunderstorm? To what does “convective” refer? In what environment does an ordinary thunderstorm form? What is an updraft? A downdraft? What does it mean to say that dry air is “entrained” into a cumulus cloud? How does the appearance of a cumulus cloud show you that entrainment is occurring? What 2 factors cause air to sink in a thunderstorm?Thunderstorms What is a “cell” in a thunderstorm? How long does a cell last in an ordinary thunderstorm? What is the life cycle of an ordinary thunderstorm? At what stage in its life cycle does an ordinary thunderstorm have the most intense updraft? What kills an ordinary thunderstorm? What is a gust front? What is it like if a gust front passes you?Thunderstorms Why is it common for a new thunderstorm cell to form at gust front, particularly where gust fronts from two thunderstorms meet? What is a multicell thunderstorm? What is the definition of a severe thunderstorm? What is different about the environment in which a long-lasting severe thunderstorm develops compared to an ordinary thunderstorm? What is a supercell?Thunderstorms What is a shelf cloud? A roll cloud? What is a downburst? A microburst? Why is airplane during takeoff or landing particularly threatened by a microburst? What is a derecho? What is a squall line? What travels out from a cold front that helps to initiate a squall line? How can cells in a squall move from SW to NE, but the squall line moves to the east, i.e., to the right of the individual cells’ motion? What regions of the US are most likely to have thunderstorms? Which US regions have hail?Lightning and Thunder How fast does sound travel in ft per second? How can you determine how far away a thunderstorm is by listening for thunder? Describe the life cycle of a lightning flash. Does lightning ever strike the same place twice? What kind of rock is a fulgurite? What should you do if you hear thunder that comes less than 30 seconds after you see lightning? Is it safe to take shelter under a tree in a storm? Explain.Tornadoes What is a tornado? A funnel cloud? How wide is a typical tornado? During what part of day and time of year do most US tornadoes occur? Which country has the most tornadoes? What part of the US receives the most tornadoes? What scale is used to rate tornado intensity? A “strong” tornado has a ranking of what or higher according to the scale just mentioned? (Table 14.2, p. 394)Jon Ahlquist 12/3/2006MET1010 Intro to the Atmosphere 2Tornadoes If you are in an area that has a tornado warning, what should you do? (Do this quickly because a typical tornado warning comes less than 10-15 minutes before a tornado hits.) What is a multi-vortex tornado? A suction vortex? What is a mesocyclone? What 2-step process causes mesocyclones to rotate around a vertical axis? (Step 1 involves rotation around a horizontal axis. Step 2 takes this rotation and shifts it to a vertical axis.) What is a wall cloud? (p. 397)Doppler Radar and Water Spouts What extra information can a Doppler radar provide that a radar without Doppler cannot? What is the Doppler effect (or Doppler shift)? What is a waterspout? Where are waterspouts most
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