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72 Cards in this Set
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- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
What is the name for the cloud of gas and suspended solids extending from the Earth’s surface? aka the protective bubble we live in. |
The Atmosphere |
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What are the 5 layers that the atmosphere is subdivided into starting from the surface up to space? |
Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Exosphere |
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What level of the atmosphere contains almost all of the clouds and precipitation? |
Troposphere |
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How does the temperature generally trend in the troposphere and the stratosphere? |
Temp decreases with altitude in troposphere Temp generally increases with altitude in the stratosphere |
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What is the transition between the Troposphere and Stratosphere called? |
Tropopause |
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What is the average vertical depth of the Troposphere? |
36,000 ft but varies due to temp variations associated with latitude and season. Ex. 65,000 at equator 20,000 at the poles |
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What is it called when the temp increases with altitude in the troposphere? |
Inversion |
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How far does the stratosphere extend? |
From troposphere up to 31 miles above the earths surface. |
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What are the general characteristics of the stratosphere? |
Temp increases with alt This makes it a stable layer generally devoid of significant weather (except the tops of some thunderstorms) |
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What is the term for a hypothetical vertical distribution of the atmospheric temperature, pressure, and density, which is considered to be representative of the atmosphere for pressure-altimeter calibrations? |
Standard Atmosphere |
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What is standard atmosphere used for? |
Pressure Altimeter Calibrations Aircraft Performance Calculations Aircraft Design Weather-related processes |
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What is the standard atmosphere for: Sea level pressures. Sea Level Temp. Lapse rate in Troposphere Pressure Altitude of the Tropopause |
29.92 In Mur 15º C 59º F 2º C 3.5º F per 1000 ft 36,000 feet (FL360) |
Pg 6 |
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What is the term for the migrating stream of high-speed winds present at high altitudes? |
Jet Streams |
Pg 7 |
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What are the two types of jet streams? And where are they usually located? |
Polar - 30-60º lat Subtropical - 20-40º Lat |
PG 7 |
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What way do Jet Streams flow? |
East to West |
PG 7 |
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What are associated with boundaries between hot and cold air at high altitudes? |
Jet streams |
PG 7 |
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What time of year are Jet Streams the Strongest? |
Winter |
Pg 7 |
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What do Jet Streams often produce that are hazardous to Air Traffic? |
Clear Air Turbulance (CAT) |
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Why Are jet streams important to ATC? |
They can cause the ground speed to increase or decrease severely resulting in traffic management issues |
PG 7 |
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What is the term for the Gaseous form of Water? |
Water Vapor |
Pg 8 |
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What is the term for the change from liquid to Gas? From Solid to gas? |
Liquid to gas - Evaporation Solid to Gas - Sublimation |
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What is the term for the numerical value representing the average kinetic energy of the atoms and molecules within matter? |
Temperature |
PG 9 |
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Which can hold more water vapor warm or cold air? |
Warm |
PG 9 |
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What is the term for the maximum possible quantity of water vapor that a parcel of air can hold at any given temp and pressure? |
Saturation |
Pg 10 |
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If air is said to be saturated, what does that mean? What about unsaturated? |
Saturated = air parcel contains all the water vapor it can hold Unsaturated = air parcel has the capacity to hold more water vapor |
Pg 10 |
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What is the term for the temp an air parcel must be cooled at constant pressure and constant water vapor pressure to allow the water vapor in the parcel to condense into water |
Dew Point |
Pg 10 |
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What is the term for the ratio, usually expressed as a percentage, of water vapor actually in the air parcel compared to the amount of water vapor the air could hold at a particular temp and pressure |
Relative Humidity |
PG 10 |
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Does relative humidity indicate the actual water vapor content? |
No it shows how close to saturation the air is. |
Pg 10 |
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What is the term for the difference between air parcels temp and its dew point temp? |
The Dew Point Spread or Depression. |
Pg 11 |
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What happens when the dew point spread is decreased to zero? |
The air becomes saturated causing condensation resulting in the formation of Dew or fog. |
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What is the term for the phase when vapor is changed into a liquid. |
Condensation |
Pg 11 |
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What is the term for the visible aggregate of minute water droplets and/or ice particles in the atmosphere above the Earths Surface? |
Clouds |
Pg 13 |
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When do clouds form? When do they dissipate? |
The spread decreases and there is sufficient lift Spread increases and the air is sinking |
PG 14-15 |
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Why does the air temp cool as it rises? |
The air uses energy to expand and this causes it to lose heat |
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Why does the air temp warm when it sinks? |
The surrounding atmosphere does work compressing the parcel which adds heat to the air |
Pg 14 - 15 |
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What are the three cloud forms? |
Stratiform Cumuliform Cirriform |
Pg 16 |
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What type of cloud is characterized at High Level clouds composed of Ice crystals, that are thin and white in appearance and contains no significant icing? |
Cirriform |
Pg 16 |
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What type of cloud is characterized by looking like “White fluffy cotton balls” that has icing, Turbulence and other hazards? |
Cumuliform |
Oh 17 |
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What is the type of cloud that is Latin for “blanket” or “Layer” and consists of featureless low layer cover that produced wide area IFR conditions? |
Stratiform |
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What does adding the prefix “nimbo” or the suffix “nimbus” mean? |
The clouds are raining. |
Pg 16 |
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What is the term for air in motion relative to the surface? |
Wind |
Pg 17 |
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What component of wind is usually less important but plays a big role on cloud formation and dissipation and precipitation |
Vertical component |
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What is the term for a Maximum of atmospheric pressure that is also known as an Anticyclone? |
High Weather Effect |
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What are the characteristics of a high weather event? |
Air Floe diverges around a High in a clockwise motion and sinks. the sinking air compresses and warms causing the clouds to dissipate. |
Pg 18 |
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What is the term for a minimum of atmospheric pressure that is also known as a cyclone? |
Low Weather Effect. |
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What are the characteristics of a Low Weather event? |
Air flow converges around a low in a counterclockwise motion and rises. This causes the air to expand and cool resulting in the dew point spread to lower making clouds form |
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What are the temperature properties used for Air mass classification? And where are they located? |
Arctic (A) - over ice Polar (P) - over high lat Tropical (T) - over low lat (equator0 |
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What are the Moisture Properties used for Air Mass Classification? And where are they located? |
Continental (c) - over land Maritime (m) - over water |
Pg 20 |
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What happens when a Cold air Mass moves over a warm surface area? |
Unstable Air Which is associated with: Turbulence, Good Vis, and Cumuliform clouds and showers |
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What happens when a Warm Air front passes over a cool surface area? |
Produced Stable Air resulting in: Smooth Air, Poor Visibility, and Stratiform Clouds, fog, drizzle |
Pg 23 |
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What is the term for a boundary or transition zone between two air masses of different density and thus different temperatures |
Front |
Pg 24 |
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What are the 4 Frontal Types? And what do they do? |
Cold Front - Cold Replaces Warm Warm Front - Warm rep Cold Stationary Front - Neither is stronger enough to move the other Occluded Front - Composite of two fronts as a cold overtakes a warm or stationary |
Pg 24 |
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How are Fronts Detectable at the surface? |
Significant Temp differences Winds come together Pressure typically increases as the front approached and decreases as the front passes |
Pg 25 |
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What are the characteristic of a Cold front? |
Steep Slope and air is forced upward abruptly Narrow band of cumulus clouds, showers, and thunderstorms Good Visibility and turbulence |
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What are the characteristics of a Warm Front? |
Gentle slopes so air rises gradually Widespread layered or stratiform clouds and precipitation Poor Visibility, smooth air and steady precipitation |
PG 26 |
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What are the characteristic of Occluded Fronts? |
Combines the effects of both cold and warm front. Clouds and precipitation can occur both ahead of, and i the areas of frontal lift of an occluded front Usually clouds and prolonged precipitation |
Pg 27 |
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What is the term for water particles that fall from the atmosphere and reach the ground? |
Precipitation |
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What are the three ingredients to form precipitation? |
Water Vapor, Lift, and Growth Process |
Pg 30 |
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What are the primary sources of water vapor in the US? |
Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, Great Lakes |
Pg 31 |
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What causes lift for precipitation? |
Converging wings around surface Lows and Fronts |
Pg 30 |
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What is the term for what allows water particles to grow large and heavy enough to fall as precipitation? |
Growth Process |
Pg 30 |
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What are the types of Precipitation? |
Snow, Ice Pellets (Sleet), Freezing Rain, and Rain |
Pg 31-34 |
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What type of Precipitation results when the temp remains below freezing throughout the entire depth or the atmosphere? |
Snow (SN) |
Pg 31 |
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What type of Precipitation results when there is a shallow layer aloft with above freezing temps, with a deep layer of below freezing air based at the surface? |
Ice Pellets (PL) |
Pg 32 |
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What are the diameter to classify as Ice Pellets? |
At or Below .2 in it 5 mm |
Pg 32 |
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What type of Precipitation results from a deep layer aloft with above freezing temp with a shallow layer of below freezing air at the surface? |
Freezing rain (FZRA) |
Pg 33 |
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What type of Precipitation result when there is a deep layer of above freezing air based at the surface? |
Rain (RA) |
Pg 34 |
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What Agency is the national weather service under? |
the Department of Commerce (DOC) And National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin (NOAA) |
Pg 38 |
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What are the NSW three offices discussed? And how many are there? |
Meteorological Watch Offices (MWO) - 8 Weather Forecast Office (WFO) - 122 Center Weather Service Units (CWSUs) - in each ARTCC |
Pg 37 |
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What aviation weather products do the MWO and WFO issue? |
AIRMETS, SIGMETS, CONVECTIVE SIGMETS, and TAF’S |
PG 37 |
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What info does the CWSU provide to the centers? |
Weather impact on their mission, equipment outages, and repairs, and staffing. |
Pg 38 |
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What information does the CWSU issue? |
Center Weather Advisories (CWAs) and Meteorological Impact Statements (MIS) |
Pg 38 |