Vocabulary
The root "alto" means
middle or medium
Dark, massive, tall clouds that are responsible for thunderstorms and tornadoes.
cumulonimbus
How fast can wind speeds in a tornado reach?
300 mph (480 kph)
What slows down a hurricane?
friction over land
What hurricane hit New Orleans in 2005, causing over $125 billion in damage?
Hurricane Katrina
This is the type of precipitation you get when there is warm cloud air over warm surface temperatures.
rain
The root "nimbus" means
rain
A cloud with a flat base, that has a puffy, heaping top and usually no precipitation.
cumulus
Where are most tornadoes in the US found?
Tornado Alley
How large is a typical hurricane?
300 miles
When is hurricane season?
June to November
This is the type of precipitation you get when there is warm cloud air over cold surface temperatures.
sleet
The root "stratus" means
layered or flat
Very high altitude, wispy clouds that do not bring rain.
cirrus
A tornado that moves over water.
waterspout
What is the minimum wind speed for a hurricane?
74 mph (119 kph)
How hot can lightning get?
This is the type of precipitation you get when there is cold cloud air over cold surface temperatures.
snow
The root "cumulus" means
heaped or piled
Low, flat, layered clouds that cover the whole sky and bring steady precipitation.
nimbostratus
Which two countries have the most tornadoes?
USA and England (UK)
What is the eerie, calm center of a hurricane?
eye
Approximately how many tornadoes are there in the US every year?
800-1000
This is the type of precipitation you get when there is cold cloud air over warm surface temperatures.
hail
The root "cirrus" means
wispy, like a curl of hair
A stratus cloud that touches the ground or very nearly touches the ground.
fog
What time of day are tornadoes most likely to form?
late afternoon
What does a hurricane originally start out as?
tropical depression
What is a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean called?
typhoon
Which type of precipitation is sometimes called an ice storm?
sleet
The term used to describe temperature, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction, cloud cover, humidity and precipitation.
atmospheric conditions
The 3 basic types of clouds
cumulus, cirrus and stratus
When is thunderstorm season?
spring and summer
What is the most dangerous part of a hurricane (causes 90% of deaths)?
storm surge
What is the very tall fast area right around the eye of a hurricane called?
eyewall
What happens to a raindrop when it hits the surface of a pond or puddle?
it bounces