Term
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Definition
| Thin, gaseous evelope with a radius of 6370 km and atmosphere of 500km |
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Term
| Why is the earth's atmosphere so thin? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the 4 levels of the atmosphere starting from lowest to highest? |
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Definition
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
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Term
| What is the height and temp change of the Troposphere? |
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Definition
0-11 km
Temp decreases with height
Driven by surface heating |
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Term
| What is the height and temp change of the Stratosphere? |
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Definition
11-50 km
Temp increases with height
Result of absorbtion of solar UV by stratospheric zone
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Term
| What is the height and temp change of the Mesosphere? |
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Definition
50-85 km
Temp decreases with height
No O_3 heating |
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Term
What is the height and temp change of the Thermosphere? |
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Definition
85-500km
Temp increases with height
Absorbtion by highly energetic solar radiation by the small amount of residual oxygen |
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Term
| What is the boiling point for Kelvin? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the freezing temp for Kelvin? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Ice to Vapor
Heat energy taken from environment |
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Term
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Definition
Vapor to Ice
Heat energy released from environment |
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Term
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Definition
Ice to Liquid
Heat energy taken from environment |
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Term
| What is the Evaporation Phase? |
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Definition
Liquid to vapor
Heat energy taken from the environment |
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Term
| What is the Condensation Phase? |
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Definition
Vapor to Liquid
Heat energy released to the environment |
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Term
| What is the Freezing Phase? |
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Definition
Liquid to Ice
Heat energy released to environment |
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Term
| Radiation Wavelengths tell us what? |
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Definition
| Longer waves carry less energy then shorter waves |
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Term
| What are the 3 longest wavelengths in order starting with the longest? |
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Definition
AM Radio Waves
Television Waves
Microwaves |
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Term
| What are the 4 shortest wavelengths starting with the shortest? |
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Definition
X-rays
Ultraviolet waves
Visibile light
Infrared waves |
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Term
| What is the Wavelength of the sun? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the wavelength of the Earth? |
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Definition
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Term
| The Sun's wavelength is known as what? |
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Definition
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Term
| The Earth's Wavelength is known as what? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which radiates more energy: the sun or the earth? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the Albedo for the Earth? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the albedo for water? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the Albedo for ice? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which has a higher Albedo: thick clouds or thin clouds |
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Definition
| Thick clouds have a higher Albedo |
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Term
| What is the major source of moisture in the atmosphere? |
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Definition
| Evaporation from the ocean |
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Term
| What is the major sink for moisture in the atmosphere? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is Absolute Humidity? |
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Definition
Density of water vapor
mass of water vapor/volume of air
A measure of the total number (mass) of water vapor molecules in unit of volume of air |
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Term
| What is the effect changes in volume has on Absoute Humidity? |
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Definition
| Changes in volume causes changes in absolute humidty |
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Term
| What is Specific Hunidity? |
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Definition
q
Ratio of mass of water vapor to total mass of air in a unit of volume
Is not impacted by volume
Values decrease with increasing height
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Term
| What is Relative Humidity? |
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Definition
R.H.
The ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air compared to the amount required for saturation.
Water vapor content/water vapor capacity
Higher relative humidity does not necassrily mean more water vapor in the air |
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Term
| What time of day is relative humidty the highest? |
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Definition
6am
As the air cools at night, relative humidity increases |
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Term
| What time of day is relative humidity the lowest? |
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Definition
About 3pm
Also when temp is the highest |
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Term
| What are the 3 high cloud types? |
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Definition
Cirrostratus
Cirrocumulus
Cirrus |
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Term
| What are the two middle cloud types? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the three low cloud types? |
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Definition
| Stratus, Nimbostratus, Stratocumulus |
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Term
| What are the two Vertical cloud types? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the 4 layered cloud types? |
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Definition
Cirrostratus
Altostratus
Stratus
Nimbostratus |
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Term
| What are the 3 broken layered cloud types? |
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Definition
Cirrocumulus
Altocumulus
Stratocumulus
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Term
| What are the 3 seperate cloud types? |
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Definition
Cirrus
Cumulus
Cumulonimbus |
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Term
Stability and Lapse Rate
Environmental < Moist |
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Definition
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Term
Stability and Lape Rate
Environmental > Dry |
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Definition
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Term
Stability and Lape Rate
Dry > Environment > Moist |
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Definition
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Term
Stability and Lapse Rate
Environment = Dry
For unsaturated air |
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Definition
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Term
Stability and Lapse Rate
For Saturated Air
Environmental = Moist |
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Definition
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Term
In a cloud that has both ice crystals and water droplets, the ice crystal will grow larger at the expense of surrounding water droplets.
What does this describe? |
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Definition
The Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen Process
Extremely important for precipatation production in middle and high latitudes |
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Term
| Which Force is due to the rotation of the Earth? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the magnitude of the Coriolis Force? |
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Definition
Magnitude depends on latitude and the speed of the air parcel
The higher the latitude, the larger the CF
Zero at the equator
Max at the poles
Faster air moves, the larger the CF
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Term
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Definition
Wind direction
No effect on wind speed |
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Term
| Which direction does CF deflect in the NH? |
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Definition
| To the right of its intended path |
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Term
| Which direction does CF deflect in the SH? |
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Definition
| To the left of it's intended path |
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Term
| What is the magnitude of the Centrifugal Force? |
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Definition
CENTF=mV^2/R
m=mass
R=radius of curvature of the curved path
V=speed of the air parcel
The faster the speed and the tighter the curve, the larger the CENTF |
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Term
| Where does the Centrifugal Force point? |
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Definition
| Away from the center of the curve |
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Term
| What is the magnitude of the Frictional Force? |
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Definition
Depends on the speed of the air parcel (V)
Depends on the roughness of the earth's surface (k)
FF=-kV |
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Term
| What direction does the Frictional Force point? |
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Definition
Always acts in the direction opposite to the movement of the air parcel
Important in the friction layer |
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Term
| Where is the Frictional layer found? |
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Definition
| The lowest 1000 m of the atmosphere |
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Term
| What is Geostrophic Balance? |
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Definition
PGF +CF = 0
Pressure Gradient Force+Coriolis Force
The resulting wind is called Geostrophic Wind
Is a good approximation to winds above the earth's surface |
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Term
| What is Buy Ballot's Law? |
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Definition
| Stand with your back to the wind (upper level wind),low pressure is on your left and high pressure on your right |
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Term
| Which cell rises near equator and descends near 30 degrees where a belt of high pressure is found? |
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Definition
Hadley Cell
Thermal Direct |
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Term
| Which cell has cold air moving southward from the pole and rises when it reaches the polar front near 60 degrees? |
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Definition
Polar Cell
Thermal Direct |
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Term
| Which cell has reverse circulation between 30 and 60 degrees? |
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Definition
Ferrel Cell
Thermal indirect |
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Term
| Where are the Horse latitudes? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Which winds dominate from the equator to 30 degrees? |
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Definition
Easterly Winds
also called the Trade Winds |
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Term
| Which winds dominate from the pole to 60 degrees? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which winds dominate between 30 and 60 degrees? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which direction does the ITCZ shift to in January? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which direction does the ITCZ shift to in July? |
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Definition
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Term
| What does the variation in the ITCZ's location affect? |
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Definition
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Term
The Walker Circulation
Describe the flow of pressure and water temp |
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Definition
| Air flows from cold water and surface high pressure to the west towards warm water and surface low pressure. Warm air rises, creates rainfall and flows back to the east aloft where the air sinks to the surface high pressure. |
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Term
El Nino
What happens to the air flow and water temperatures? |
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Definition
Warm water moves from the western Pacific Ocean to central pacific ocean
Cold water near the surface in South America drops to the bottom of the ocean
Warm air rises in the center of the ocean creating storms and then spreads outward aloft in both directions |
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Term
| If warm air replaces colder air, what kind of front is it? |
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Definition
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Term
| If cold air replaces warmer air, what kind of front is it? |
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Definition
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Term
| If a front does not move, what is it called? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is an Occluded Front? |
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Definition
Does not intersect the ground
The interface between the air masses is aloft |
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Term
| In a Cyclone, which direction does the wind blow in the northern hemisphere? |
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Definition
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Term
| In the southern hemisohere, which direction does the wind blow for a cylcone? |
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Definition
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Term
| What type of pressure is formed around Cylcones? |
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Definition
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Term
Cyclogenises
Where is the convergence and Divergence located? |
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Definition
Convergence behind the trough
Divergence ahead of the trough |
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Term
Cyclogenesisus
Where is the Cyclogenesis region? |
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Definition
| Ahead of the trough near a surface low pressure |
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Term
| What initiates Cyclogenesisus? |
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Definition
| When upper level divergence is stronger then lower level convergence, more air is taken out at the top than is brought in at the bottom. Surface pressure drops and the low intensifies or deepens. |
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Term
| Where and how do Hurricanes form? |
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Definition
Tropical waters where the wind is light, humidity is high in a deep layer extending up through the tropophere
Surface water temperature is warm, typically 26.5 degrees celcius or 80 degrees fahrenheit over a vast area |
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Term
Hurricane Stages of Development
What are the 4 stages and wind speeds?
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Definition
Tropical Disturbance - slight winds
Tropical Depression - 20-34 knots
Tropical Storm - 35-64 knots
Hurricane - 64 knots and higher (74 mph) |
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Cirrostratus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Cirrocumulus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Cirrus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Altostratus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Altocumulus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Stratus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Nimbostratus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Stratocumulus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Cumulus? |
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Definition
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Term
| What layer and cloud type is Cumulonimbus? |
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Definition
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