Ocean Currents
This warm Atlantic current warms nearby coastal areas and can strengthen storms.
What is the Gulf Stream?
Rising pressure usually means this type of weather (fair or stormy
What is fair/clear weather?
Thin, wispy clouds high in the sky that often mean fair weather.
What are cirrus clouds?
The general term for rain, snow, sleet, or hail falling from the sky.
What is a sea breeze?
This large tropical storm has strong winds and heavy rain and forms over warm ocean water.
What is a hurricane?
This effect causes coastal areas to be warmer in winter than inland.
What is warming of coastal areas in winter (coast is warmer than inland)? [or: What is coastal warming by a warm current?
A falling trend in this measurement often signals storms or precipitation.
What is falling air pressure?
Tall, dense clouds that bring thunderstorms, heavy rain, and sometimes tornadoes.
What are cumulonimbus clouds?
The local night wind that moves from land toward ocean.
What is a land breeze?
Hurricanes need warm ocean water and winds that do this to force air upward
What is converging winds forcing air upward?
When a hurricane crosses this current it will likely strengthen
What is the Gulf Stream?
The best single indicator that precipitation is likely within the next day is a decrease in this
What is a decrease in air pressure?
Cirrus clouds plus stable pressure most likely indicate these conditions
What are clear and dry conditions?
The key difference between sea breeze and land breeze is this.
What is wind direction?
When a hurricane crosses warm currents like the Gulf Stream, this is likely to happen to the storm.
What is it will likely strengthen (increase wind speeds and precipitation)?
This current influences storm tracks toward the southeast U.S. coast
What is the Gulf Stream?
Instrument name associated with measuring the force of air pushing down.
What is a barometer (air pressure)?
These clouds are most likely to produce stormy weather, usually in warm summer afternoons.
What are cumulonimbus clouds producing thunderstorms (stormy weather)?
Local breezes caused by temperature differences between land and ocean are called this (two words).
What are sea breeze / land breeze?
The study guide notes hurricanes gain energy over these kinds of currents
What are warm currents (like the Gulf Stream)?
A warm ocean current mentioned in the study guide that affects coastal climate and weather.
What is the Gulf Stream?
For Raleigh, you should check weather from this direction because prevailing westerlies move weather this way across the U.S.
What is the west (check weather from areas to the west)?
The general term for rain, snow, sleet, or hail falling from the sky.
What is precipitation?
During the day, cooler air from over this feature moves toward warmer land.
What is the ocean?
Two conditions listed as necessary for hurricane formation (short phrase: "____ + ____").
What is warm ocean water + converging/upward winds?