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Worksheets

Severe Weather

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 45mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is a tornado?

a)

a violently rotating column of air

b)

a rotating tropical storm

c)

a winter storm characterized by high winds and snow

d)

a storm that occurs in cumulonimbus clouds

2.

Why do most tornadoes occur in the afternoon?

a)

the sun has had more time to heat the ground/atmosphere & produce thunderstorms

b)

the winds need a few hours to build up before they can become a tornado

c)

there aren't any clouds in the morning to form tornadoes

d)

the ground has had time to cool off and produce ideal conditions for tornadoes

3.

What is a funnel cloud?

a)

A cloud high in the sky

b)

Rotating columns of air that DO NOT touch the ground

c)

a rotating updraft

d)

when warm air rises through cold air

4.

How does the Fujita scale measure a tornado's intensity?

a)

by analyzing the damage the tornado has done & matching that to wind speeds

b)

by only looking at the wind speed

c)

by looking at the number of buildings the tornado destroys

d)

by analyzing the wind speeds and width of the tornado

5.

Which level on the Fujita scale corresponds to incredible damage and wind speeds of 261 mph?

a)

F5

b)

F1

c)

F3

d)

F2

6.

How many categories are there for a hurricane?

a)

10 Categories

b)

5 Categories

c)

3 Categories

d)

7 Categories

7.

Hurricane force winds pushing down on the water creating high water levels and waves moving ashore is called:

a)

Storm Surge

b)

Hurricane

c)

Tropical Wave

d)

Tropical storm

8.

What do hurricanes need as fuel?

a)

warm and moist air

b)

hot and dry air

c)

cold and moist air

d)

dry and warm air

9.
Hurricanes develop in ________ regions.
a)
Arctic
b)
Tropical
c)
Arid
d)
None of the above
10.
Where is Tornado Alley located?
a)
Near the equator of the Earth
b)
Near the North Pole
c)
South Central Los Angeles
d)
Middle states of United States
11.
This person studies the Earth's atmosphere and monitors and forecasts the weather
a)
Seismologist
b)
Meteorologist
c)
Volcanologist
d)
Geologist
12.

What is the scale that is used to measure tornadoes damage?

a)

Mohs Scale

b)

Enhanced Fujita Scale

c)

Saffir Simpson Scale

d)

McDonalds Scale

13.
What happens if a hurricane moves over land or cold ocean water?
a)
it will get stronger
b)
it will get weaker
c)
it will upgrade its category
d)
it will morph into a typhoon
14.
What are the wind speeds of a Category 3 Hurricane?
a)

greater than 156 mph

b)

111-129 mph

c)

75-95 mph

d)

39-74 mph

15.
A tornado has wind speed of 145 mph, what category would that be classified?
a)

EF1

b)

EF4

c)

EF3

d)

EF5

16.

What kind of damage is caused by a EF5 tornado?

a)

tree branches broken; sign boards damaged

b)

roofs torn off frame houses; large trees broken or uprooted

c)

some walls torn off homes; trains turned over; most trees uprooted

d)

cars thrown farther than 100 meters; trees debarked; strong frame houses leveled and scattered

17.

Which is an image of a tornado?

a)
b)
c)
18.

Which is an image of a hurricane?

a)
b)
c)
19.

Which is an image of a thunderstorm?

a)
b)
c)
20.

During a tornado, you should...

a)

stay in your car

b)

find a safe place away from windows

c)

drive to the hospital

21.

Where are hurricanes most likely to form?

a)

over a lake

b)

Arctic Ocean

c)

anywhere over land

d)

Atlantic Ocean

22.

A hurricane rotates around the center of the storm, which is also known as...

a)

the "eye"

b)

the "calm"

c)

the "funnel"

23.

A long-lasting snowstorm with very strong winds and heavy snow fall

a)

tornado

b)

hurricane

c)

thunderstorm

d)

blizzard

24.

What is the best safety procedure for a hurricane?

a)

Stay in a basement until the hurricane is over.

b)

Travel away from the coast.

c)

Stay in your car.

25.

Electricity may flow within the cloud also flow between the cloud and the ground. These electrical currents are _________________.

a)

thunder

b)

particles

c)

lightning

26.

When lightning moves through the air, the air gets very hot. The hot air expands rapidly. As it expands, it makes the air vibrate. These vibrations release energy in the form of sound waves called ______________.

a)

thunder

b)

particles

c)

lightning

27.

A _____________ is a large, rotating low-pressure system that forms over the warm waters of oceans near the equator.

a)

tornado

b)

hurricane

c)

thunderstorm

d)

flooding

28.

Thunderstorms form along a cold front

a)

True

b)

False

29.

Thunderstorm clouds are known as _____.

a)

cirrus clouds

b)

stratus clouds

c)

cumulonimbus clouds

d)

cumulus clouds

30.

The calm area in the center of a hurricane is called the _____.

a)

draft

b)

funnel

c)

eye

d)

squall

31.

The most dangerous aspect of a hurricane that comes ashore is the ________.

a)

storm surge

b)

eye wall

c)

wind speed

d)

rainfall

32.

Hurricanes can produce tornadoes

a)

True

b)

False

33.

About 75% of the world's tornadoes happen in the United States during Springs and early Summer when cold, dry from Canada meets warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. This relatively flat part of the country is known as ________________.

a)

Tornado Paradise

b)

Thunderstorm Lane

c)

Tornado Alley

d)

Hurricane Row

34.

A funnel cloud and a tornado are the same.

a)

True

b)

False

35.

Which storm causes more overall damage?

a)

Tornado

b)

Hurricane

36.

Hurricanes and tornadoes both occur in a...

a)

Low Pressure System

b)

High Pressure System

37.

What is a storm surge?

a)

Storm surge is the unusual rise of water that happens during a big tropical storm. When the water rises, dangerous flooding can happen near the coast.

b)

When sea levels fall and cause draining

c)

When sea levels stay the same

d)

There is no such thing as storm surge

38.

Which of the images shows a storm surge?

a)
b)
c)
d)
39.

Which of the following DOES NOT cause water damage?

a)

Tsunami

b)

Flood

c)

Hurricane

d)

Tornado

40.

What is the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon?

a)

A hurricane is larger

b)

A typhoon does not have an "eye"

c)

They occur in different oceans

d)

They spin in different directions