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Worksheets

Severe Weather

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following is a main ingredient needed for a thunderstorm to form?

a)

Cold, dry air

b)

Warm, moist air

c)

Snowfall

d)

High pressure

2.

What scale is used to classify hurricane categories?

a)

Richter Scale

b)

Saffir-Simpson Scale

c)

Fujita Scale

d)

Beaufort Scale

3.

Which scale is used to rate the intensity of tornadoes?

a)

Saffir-Simpson Scale

b)

Enhanced Fujita Scale

c)

Beaufort Scale

d)

Richter Scale

4.

What is the lowest category of a hurricane according to the Saffir-Simpson Scale?

a)

Category 1

b)

Category 2

c)

Category 3

d)

Category 5

5.

How are hurricanes named?

a)

By the country where they form

b)

From a list of names created before the season starts

c)

By the strongest wind speed

d)

By the color of the clouds

6.

What is the main danger associated with tornadoes?

a)

Flooding

b)

High winds

c)

Lightning

d)

Snow

7.

When does tornado season usually occur in the southern United States?

a)

December to February

b)

March to May and in the fall

c)

June to August

d)

September to November only

8.

Where do hurricanes usually start?

a)

Near the North Pole

b)

Near the equator over warm ocean water

c)

In deserts

d)

Over mountains

9.

Why does the Atlantic hurricane season happen in late summer and fall?

a)

The ocean is coldest then

b)

The ocean has had time to heat up and provide energy for storms

c)

There is less sunlight

d)

The air is dry

10.

Why is warm ocean water important for hurricane formation?

a)

It cools the air above

b)

It provides energy for the storm

c)

It creates high pressure

d)

It prevents clouds from forming

11.

Why should you avoid windows during a tornado?

a)

To see the tornado better

b)

To prevent injury from breaking glass

c)

To get fresh air

d)

To hear the wind

12.

How does convection contribute to thunderstorm formation?

a)

By cooling the ground

b)

By lifting warm air upward

c)

By increasing humidity

d)

By reducing wind speed

13.

If a tornado warning is issued, where is the safest place to go?

a)

Outside to watch the tornado

b)

Basement or interior room on the lowest floor

c)

Near windows

d)

In a car under a bridge

14.

What is true about typhoons, cyclones, and hurricanes?

a)

They are all different types of storms

b)

They are the same type of storm but have different names in different parts of the world

c)

Only hurricanes happen over the ocean

d)

Cyclones only happen in the United States

15.

Which combination of air masses most often leads to tornado formation in the United States?

a)

Continental polar and maritime tropical

b)

Maritime polar and continental tropical

c)

Continental polar and continental tropical

d)

Maritime polar and maritime tropical

16.

Which three ingredients are necessary for a hurricane to develop?

a)

Warm ocean water, rotation, and wind

b)

Cold ocean water, dry air, high wind shear

c)

Warm ocean water, dry air, high wind shear

d)

Warm ocean water, moist air, high wind shear

17.

Which of the following causes hurricanes to lose power?

a)

Moving over warm ocean water

b)

Moving over land or cold water

c)

Staying in the tropics

d)

Increasing moisture in the air

18.

Which group of states is commonly known as "Tornado Alley" in the United States?

a)

California, Nevada, Oregon

b)

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska

c)

Florida, Georgia, South Carolina

d)

Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire

19.

What is the definition of a tornado?

a)

A large snowstorm with strong winds

b)

A rapidly rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground

c)

A type of earthquake

d)

A flood caused by heavy rain

20.

If you are outside and a tornado is approaching, where should you go for safety?

a)

Stay outside and watch

b)

Go to a sturdy building or storm shelter

c)

Hide under a tree

d)

Stay in your car