UT Austin Invitational — Meteorology

Meteorology · Division B · UT Austin Invitational · 2024

57 questions · 100 points · 50 min· 3 questions from the original omitted

Hurricanes

Question 1

1 pt

On which side of the dashed black line from the image on the right is it possible for a hurricane to form?

A. East, due to the southeasterly winds that convergeB. West, due to the easterly winds that convergeC. West, due to the westerly winds that convergeD. On the line due to the gap between divergence and convergence

Question 2

1 pt

What do the arrows in the diagram on the right represent?

A. IsobarsB. Stream linesC. Contour linesD. Cool lines with triangles

Question 3

1 pt

What are the ideal conditions for a hurricane to form?

A. Heavy winds across a vast areaB. Surface temperature of water is warmC. Extremely turbulent air presentD. B and C

Question 4

1 pt

What characterizes the weather at the equator and why?

A. Temperature is very volatile as the land is closest to the sunB. Temperature changes are very small because the sun is always thereC. The humidity is very low because the constant presence of the sun makes all of the water evaporateD. Lots of wind as the sun’s heat causes differences in air pressure

Question 5

1 pt

Why don't hurricanes typically form at or very close to the equator?

A. The equator lacks warm ocean waters necessary for hurricane formationB. The equator experiences strong wind shear that disrupts hurricane developmentC. The Coriolis effect is too weak near the equator to initiate the necessary rotationD. The equator is too close to the poles, leading to extreme cold that inhibits hurricanes

Question 6

1 pt

How do hurricanes act similar to heat engines?

A. They take in heat near the ocean surface, convert it to kinetic energy, and lose it through coolingB. They take in the cool water from the ocean, heat it up through movement, and use that for energyC. They take in the heat from the ocean surface, convert it to potential energy, and lose it by cooling it offD. None of these

Question 7

1 pt

What is latent heat?

A. The heat released or absorbed when a substance changes its state without a change in temperatureB. The heat transferred through conduction in a solidC. The heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree CelsiusD. The heat generated by a chemical reaction

Question 8

1 pt

Which of the answer choices allows for storm surges to occur?

A. Low pressure makes the ocean level higherB. The rain in the hurricane causes the storm surge all by itselfC. Winds blow in the risen waterD. A and C

Question 9

1 pt

Which side of a hurricane approaching from the south has the highest winds and why?

A. The south side, because it's still over the ocean and gaining powerB. The east side, winds add together on the east and subtract from the westC. The north side, more uneven elevation allows for higher windsD. The west side, winds add together on the west and subtract from the east

Question 10

1 pt

Which group of measurements does the Saffir-Simpson Scale take into account?

A. Wind Speed, Storm SurgeB. Wind Speed, RainfallC. Wind Speed, Rainfall, Storm Surge, and TornadoesD. None of the Above

Question 11

1 pt

What do the different lines of a spaghetti plot represent?

A. Possible paths a hurricane could takeB. Historical paths that previous hurricanes in similar locations have takenC. Paths of possible spin-off tornadoes from a HurricaneD. None of the above

Thunderstorms

Question 13

1 pt

What is the relationship between the buoyant force of an air parcel and convection?

A. Direct (more buoyant force = more convection)B. Inverse (more buoyant force = less convection)C. The relationship is random and depends on the situationD. There is never a relationship between the two

Question 14

1 pt

How are thundersnows made?

A. Cold air destabilizes the atmosphere’s stability, allowing for air parcels to move northwards/upwardsB. Rain particles in thunderstorm clouds turn into snow just before dropping because as altitude increases, the temperature decreasesC. Air pushes thunderstorms that were already happening north and the rain turns into snowD. Through the rapid freezing of rain molecules

Question 15

1 pt

Which of the following is true regarding ordinary cell and/or supercell thunderstorms?

A. Ordinary cells last for hours, while supercells last for daysB. Supercells have very predictable life cyclesC. Supercells can produce very severe weatherD. Ordinary cells are typically over 5 kilometers wide

Question 16

1 pt

What is the term "entrainment" in the context of storms?

A. The process by which a storm dissipates energy due to external factors.B. The movement of air in and out of a storm system, affecting its intensity and structure.C. The development of multiple storm systems in close proximity due to atmospheric disturbances.D. The phenomenon where storm clouds absorb surrounding air, affecting their moisture content and stability.

Question 17

1 pt

In a normal cell thunderstorm, what causes the thunderstorm to destabilize and dissipate?

A. Downdraft begins to overpower the updraftB. Moisture from the surrounding air runs outC. Wind shear increases too drastically disrupting the structureD. Rotation begins to occur, destroying the updraft structure

Question 18

1 pt

You see a lightning strike and then hear the thunder arrive 30 seconds later. How far away is the thunderstorm?

A. 2 milesB. 3 milesC. 5 milesD. 6 miles

Question 19

1 pt

When a thunderstorm arrives, it may usually be preceded by this unique type of cloud that signals the border of a gust front.

A. Edge cloudB. Shelf cloudC. Front cloudD. Funnel cloud

Question 20

1 pt

How does the process of advection contribute to the characteristics of thunderstorms?

A. Advection is responsible for the vertical movement of air within a thunderstorm, creating updrafts and downdrafts.B. Advection introduces a horizontal transport of air masses, influencing the temperature and moisture content that can contribute to thunderstorm development.C. Thunderstorms are solely driven by local convective processes, and advection plays a minor role in their formation.D. Advection only occurs in the stratosphere and has no direct impact on the development or intensity of thunderstorms.

Wind, Wind Shear, Tornadoes

Question 21

1 pt

What is wind shear?

A. The shifting of wind with changing weather patternsB. Wind speed and wind direction changing with increasing heightC. Sudden and strong gusts of wind during a thunderstormD. Wind that threatens to cut trees down

Question 22

1 pt

How can wind shear cause multicell thunderstorms to form?

A. It causes gusts that make the cells group togetherB. It makes an Aeolian updraft form, which contributes to multicell stormsC. It tilts storms and this changed orientation creates multicellsD. It splits the massive thunderstorm into many little pieces, hence the name multicell

Question 23

1 pt

What pulses are sent out by Doppler radars?

A. RadioB. MicrowaveC. InfraredD. Ultraviolet

Question 24

1 pt

How do Doppler radars work?

A. By emitting radio waves and measuring their reflections off objectsB. By analyzing changes in temperature/humidity in the atmosphereC. By using laser beams to detect air movementsD. By tracking the movement of satellites in space

Question 25

1 pt

What is the basic principle of Doppler radar function?

A. It relies on visual observations to determine weather conditionsB. It uses X-ray technology to measure the atmosphere's propertiesC. It detects changes in air pressure to assess wind patternsD. The returning radar pulse after hitting precipitation changes frequency when compared to the transmitted one

Question 28

1 pt

What is an object doing when redshift occurs?

A. It is moving away from the observerB. It is moving towards the observerC. It is moving in a spiralD. It is escaping the atmosphere

Question 29

1 pt

What is the main difference between the Enhanced Fujita and the Fujita scale?

A. The Enhanced Fujita scale has more decimal places making it more preciseB. The Enhanced Fujita scale makes use of barometers to measure the speed of tornadoes, whereas the Fujita scale uses a sphygmomanometerC. The Enhanced Fujita scale looks at damage done to many types of structures, whereas the Fujita scale only looks at that done to frame housesD. There are no differences, Enhanced Fujita is just the full name of the Fujita scale

Question 30

1 pt

What is the below radar signal called?

A. Comma echoB. Bow echoC. V notchD. Hook echo

Question 31

1 pt

The radar signal in the question before this usually indicates what sort of severe weather?

A. HurricaneB. MCCC. Squall lineD. Tornado

Question 32

1 pt

The image below contains a pulse doppler radar image of a Tornado in Alabama. What do the darker and lighter colors represent?

A. Heavy and Light rainfallB. Inbound and Outbound wind velocitiesC. High and Low wind speedsD. High and Low pressure

Question 33

1 pt

Which of the following causes the most damage in a thunderstorm?

A. Straight-line windsB. RainfallC. HailD. Tornadoes

Question 34

1 pt

Why do strong wind shears enable supercell thunderstorms to survive longer than normal thunderstorms?

A. Wind shear introduces greater energy into the systemB. Separates updraft and downdraft preventing them from weakening each otherC. Suspends precipitation for longer allowing them to grow into larger and more destructive formsD. Trick question, they actually weaken thunderstorms

Ice Storms

Question 35

1 pt

What was the circumference of the biggest hailstone ever?

A. 18.7 inchesB. 22.3 inchesC. 15.9 inchesD. 1.14 feet

Question 36

1 pt

Where was this hailstone found?

A. Nuuk, GreenlandB. Saskatchewan, CanadaC. Siberia, RussiaD. South Dakota, USA

Question 37

1 pt

What type of clouds do hailstones normally appear in?

A. CirrostratusB. CumulonimbusC. StratusD. Cumulostratus

Question 38

1 pt

How are hailstones formed?

A. Through accretion (accumulation of supercooled liquid droplets)B. Through discretion (embryo-like development of cooled air particles)C. Through phosphorylation (lightning shocks release phosphorus into the air which reacts with water)D. Through dimerization (UV radiation causes the thymine molecule present in raindrops to bond together)

Question 39

1 pt

What is the official definition of a blizzard?

A. A snowstorm that carries on for monthsB. A massive storm consisting of torrential downpour without snowC. The slippage of loose snow down the side of a mountainD. A weather condition characterized by strong winds and lots of fine, dry snow

Question 40

1 pt

What is the mechanism of lake-effect snow?

A. It results from the interaction between warm, moist air and a cold lakeB. It occurs when warm air rises over a cold lake, creating thunderstormsC. It is caused by the collision of two air masses of similar temperaturesD. It develops when cold, dry air passes over a relatively warmer body of water, acquiring moisture and leading to snowfall

Question 41

1 pt

What is a nor'easter?

A. An east coast mid-latitude cyclonic stormB. A weather system specifically oriented for northeastern conditionsC. A storm caused by the differences in elevation presented in northeastern USD. A massive wind system that starts in the west continental US and then moves to the northeast

Question 42

1 pt

What wind stream fuels nor'easters?

A. Jet StreamB. Gulf StreamC. Kuroshio CurrentD. Brazil Current

Question 43

1 pt

Which chemical property of ice and water makes the Bergeon-Findeisen process possible?

A. Boiling PointB. Vapor PressureC. DensityD. Cohesion and Adhesion

Question 44

1 pt

What atmospheric condition is primarily responsible for the formation of freezing rain?

A. Extremely cold temperatures in the clouds creating supercooled water dropletsB. High humidity levels preventing water from freezing midairC. Warm air over a layer of subfreezing air near the surfaceD. Excessive dryness preventing water droplets from solidifying until contact with a hard surface

Question 45

1 pt

If you hear a message that conditions are favorable for a winter storm in the area, then you have just heard what type of message?

A. Winter Weather WarningB. Winter Weather WatchC. Winter Weather AdvisoryD. Winter Weather Alert

Large Scale Circulation Patterns

Question 46

1 pt

What is the name of the Atmospheric River that accounts for 50% of California precipitation?

A. Pineapple ExpressB. Pacific FlowC. Hawaiian ExpressD. Aloha Stream

Question 47

1 pt

During which season is the Jet Stream the strongest?

A. WinterB. SummerC. FallD. Spring

Question 48

1 pt

Which of the following is a favorable condition for mid latitude cyclone development?

A. Surface low is east of the low pressure center aloftB. Surface high is to the west of a low pressure center aloftC. High pressure center aloft directly above a high pressure system at the surfaceD. Low pressure center aloft directly above a low pressure system at the surface

Question 49

1 pt

What is the term "bombogenesis" commonly used to describe?

A. The sudden decrease in atmospheric pressure, resulting in a rapid intensification of a mid-latitude cycloneB. The formation of a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic OceanC. The process of atmospheric stabilization following a thunderstormD. The gradual dissipation of a high-pressure system over a region

Question 50

1 pt

What is the polar front?

A. A region near the Earth's poles where magnetic forces are the strongest.B. An area in the atmosphere where cold polar air meets warm air from lower latitudes, leading to the formation of mid-latitude cyclones.C. A geographical boundary between the North Pole and the South Pole, marking the division of the Earth into two hemispheres.D. A type of weather phenomenon characterized by rapid temperature changes in the polar regions, causing intense blizzards and snowstorms.

Short Answers

Question SA1

8 pts

Give a 4 sentence explanation on how electrification occurs in thunderstorms (focus on the interaction between different types of precipitation in the clouds).

Question SA2

6 pts

Give a quick 2 sentence explanation on the relationship between polar vortex strength and jet stream stability.

Question SA3

4 pts

Explain in 2 sentences why downbursts are extremely dangerous for airplanes to fly through?

Question SA4

6 pts

Describe how the occurrence of an occluded front leads to the dissipation of a mid latitude cyclone.

Question SA5

6 pts

Give 3 major differences between Hurricanes and Mid-Latitude Cyclones.

Question SA6

6 pts

Explain in 3 sentences a strategy that has been used to try and artificially weaken hurricanes, and if it succeeded or not.

Question SA7

4 pts

Describe the difference between a severe weather WATCH and a severe weather WARNING.

Question SA8

6 pts

Explain in 3 sentences why the Florida peninsula receives the most thunderstorms in the US.

Question SA9

1 pt

Give one limitation and advantage each for the use of RADAR and LiDAR in storm detection.

Question SA10

6 pts

Explain in 3 sentences why the center of a hurricane is calm compared to the rainband surrounding it.