Air Masses and Fronts
Does the description below describe a high pressure system or low pressure system?
warm air rises and cools
moisture in the air forms clouds
rain falls from the sky
low pressure system
low = lousy weather
Raelyn’s little niece was looking at the clouds from a window and thought they looked angry.
Which type of cloud was Raelyn’s niece describing?
cumulonimbus
filled with moisture, turn dark, get heavy;
cause wind, rain, lightning, and thunder
Which type of storm matches the description below?
* huge waves
* high tides
* strong winds
* heavy rain
hurricane
Air pressure is the weight of the air. Which instrument do meteorologists use to measure air pressure?
barometer
Does the description below describe a cold front or a warm front?
*a warm air mass slowly pushes out
a cold air mass
warm front
Which type of cloud matches the description below?
* gray
* covers whole sky in layers (like a blanket)
* low in the sky
*causes fog, light rain, and drizzle
stratus
What do thunderstorms, tornados, and hurricanes all have in common?
strong winds
Precipitation is any form of water that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface.
Which instrument do meteorologists use to measure precipitation?
rain gauge
Does the description below describe a high pressure system or low pressure system?
*dry air
*nice, fair weather
high pressure system
high = happy weather
Which type of cloud matches the description below?
* feathery/wispy
* high in the sky
* nice, fair weather
Which type of storm matches the description below?
* thunderstorms
* strong winds
* rotating funnel-shaped cloud
tornado
Wind is the movement of air. Which instrument do meteorologists use to measure wind direction?
weather vane or wind vane
Atmospheric conditions can create rain, snow, sleet, and hail.
Which weather term or vocabulary word describes rain, snow, sleet, and hail?
precipitation
Which type of cloud matches the description below?
* fluffy
* white
* look like cotton balls
* nice, fair weather
cumulous
Which type of storm matches the description below?
* causes a lot of flooding near coastline
* form over the ocean
hurricane
Temperature is the amount of heat energy in the atmosphere. Which instrument do meteorologists use to measure temperature?
thermometer
Atmospheric conditions can create various storms.
Which common storm might a meteorologist predict if a cold front moves through an area?
thunderstorm
Which type of cloud is formed by cumulus clouds that join together during a cold front?
cumulonimbus
Which type of storm matches the description below?
* heavy winds
* rain
* lightning
* thunder
thunderstorms
Wind is the movement of air. Which instrument do meteorologists use to measure wind speed?
anemometer