Weather Patterns Inspire

The map describes and shows the movement of air masses over North America. Which does not describe these air masses?

• They move from cooler areas to warmer areas.

• They are consistent in temperature humidity, and pressure

• They take on the characteristics of the Earth's surface below them as they form.

• They can affect the weather of an area when they meet.

Your town is experiencing a drought in which the weather has been hot and dry for weeks. Which type of pressure system is stalled over the area?

• high pressure system above the area; sinking air that works against the formation of clouds and precipitation

• low pressure system above the area; rising air that forms clouds and precipitation

Low-pressure systems bring clouds and precipitation.

• true

• false

Which of the following occurs as altitude increases?

• Air pressure decreases.

• Air pressure increases.

• Air pressure remains the same

• Air pressure behaves unpredictably because the two are unrelated.

High pressure systems usually bring good weather because _______.

• the air masses rise, preventing precipitation from falling

• the air masses sink, making it difficult for clouds to form

• the air masses rise, causing wind that blows away the clouds

• the air masses sink, forcing air to move from low pressure to high pressure

Identify 3 types of data that a meteorologist can collect to help make a prediction about the weather in a few days along the East Coast if there is a weather system moving from the West Coast to the East Coast of the US.

• Barometric (air) pressure—Low pressure systems are associated with storms; so, a drop in air pressure in a region will indicate that a storm is approaching and where it will hit.

• Doppler Radar- The Doppler effect is a shift from the observed frequency of a wave, due to the relative motion between the source and the observer.

• Wind speed—Wind speed determines how fast the weather or storm system is moving; so, the meteorologist can predict the weather or storm will hi Wind speed also influences how strong a storm becomes, because faster winds result in a stronger storm that potentially causes more damage or is more dangerous (like a blizzard).

• Temperature readings—Knowing the temperature will help her determine if the storm will bring rain or snow to the region.

This map shows four locations, W, X, Y, and Z, and weather systems across the United States.

Which prediction about the weather is accurate, based on the evidence in the map?

• Location W will have cooler temperatures, because a cold front is moving toward it.

• Location X will have cloudy skies, because it is positioned within a high-pressure system.

• Location Y will be stormy, because it is positioned where a cold front meets a warm front.

• Location Z will be calm, because it is far away from both the high- and low pressure systems.

Scientists are monitoring two colliding air masses along a frontal boundary. They are concerned that a tornado may form. Which data collected along the frontal boundary would best alert scientists that the two colliding air masses may cause a tornado?

• strong gusty winds and cloudy skies where the fronts meet

• air masses of the same temperature and altitude coming together where the fronts meet

• large differences in temperature, humidity, and air pressure on either side of where the fronts meet

• many similarities in the altitude of clouds, amount of clouds, and wind direction on either side of where the fronts meet

Which instruments make a weather station?

• anemometer, thermometer, hygrometer, and rain gauge

• thermometer, barometer, rain gauge, and windmill

• rain gauge, anemometer, and thermometer

• solar panel, thermometer, and rain gauge

Why does weather change?

• air masses move over Earth's surface

• when air masses collide at a front, changes in temperature, wind speed/direction, air pressure, and precipitation happens

• it depends on the day, time, and place

• when there are changes in temperature and winds, weather changes