Composition of the Atmosphere

Is the layer from the surface to an altitude that varies between 24,000 and 50,000 ft. and is characterized by a decrease in temperature with an increase in altitude.

The top of the Troposphere

Meteorologist plot pressure readings from weather reporting stations on charts and connect points of equal pressure with lines called ?

The change in pressure measured across a given distance.

Is a center of high pressure surrounded on all sides by low pressure.

An area of low pressure surrounded by higher pressure.

An elongated area of high pressure.

An elongated area of low pressure.

Can designate either a neutral area between 2 highs and 2 lows, or the intersection of a Ridge and a Through.

Liquid to Gas.

Solid to Gas.

Gas to Liquid.

Gas to Solid.

The atmosphere's resistance to vertcal motion.

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate

Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate

Formation of Clouds

This cloud extend from near the surface to about 6,500ft. AGL

This cloud have bases that range from about 6,500 to 20,000ft. AGL.

This clouds have bases beginning above 20,000ft. AGL

Are thin, wispy clouds composed mostly of ice crystals that usually form above 30,000ft.

Vertical comulus clouds when lifting and instability is present.

Large, vertically developed clouds that form in moist, unstable air.

Separates an advancing mass of cold, dense, and stable air from an area of warm, lighter, and unstable air.

Occur when warm air moves over the top of cooler air at the surface.

When the opposing forces of two air masses are balanced, the front that separates them might remain stationary and influence local flying conditions for several days. The weather in this front usually is a mixture of that found in both warm and cold front.

Occurs when a fast-moving cold front catches up to a slow moving warm front.

One important process by which fronts are set in motion. Sometimes reffered to as extratropical cyclone or frontal low.

Disturbance that runs along a cold front and slows its clearance, often bringing a longer period of wet weather.

Is a narrow band of high speed winds that reaches its greatest speed near the tropopause. Speeds range between 60 and about 240 kts.

In this stage a lifting action initiates the vertical movement of air.

In this stage the water drops in the cloud grow to large to be supported by updrafts, precipitation begins to fall to the surface.

In this stage downdrafts become the dominant air movement within the cell.

Is a sudden drastic shift in wind speed and/or direction that occurs over a short distance at any altitude in a vertical or horizontal plane.

Is created when the difference in speed and direction between surrounding air and the cooler air of the downdraft.

The leading edge of the downdraft is reffered to as a ?

A rolling, turbulent, circular-shaped cloud that might form at the lower leading edge of the cloud.

Generally forms in a warm, moist air mass and are isolated or scattered over a large area.

Are usually associated with weather patterns like fronts, converging winds, and troughs aloft.

Air mass storm typically last an hour or less.

This severe thunderstorm might last two hours or more.

This storm is usually a cluster of air mass thunderstorms in various stages of development.

Is sometimes used to refer to storms that are associated with frontal activity.

Is a narrow band of active thunderstorms that normally contains very severe weather.

Is one of the hazards that is always associated with thunderstorms and is found throughout the cloud.

Can cause extensive damage to your aircraft in a very short period of time.

Are violent, spinning columns of air that descend from the base of a cloud.

A funnel cloud that reaches the earth's surface.

Funnel Cloud that touches down over water.

Caused by a thin layer of standing water that separates the tires from the runway.

This turbulence is often defined as turbulence below 15,000ft. MSL. Originates due to surface heating or friction within a few thousand feet of the ground.

This turbulence is often experienced in the traffic pattern when the winds forms eddies as it blows around hangars, stand of trees, or other obsturctions.

This turbulence is also referred to as thermal turbulence, is typically a daytime phenomenon that occurs over land in fair weather when winds are light. Caused by vertical air currents or thermals that develop in air heated by contact with the warm surface below.

This turbulence occurs in the narrow zone just ahead of a fast-moving cold front where updrafts can reach 1,000ft./min.

This turbulence is commonly thought of as a high altitude phenomenon. Usually encountered above 15,000ft. however it can take place at any altitude and is often present with no visual warning.

This turbulence is generated when strong winds flowing toward mountains in a generally perpendicular fashion are raised up over the mountains.

Small-scale intense downdrafts that, on reaching the surface, spread outward in all directions from the downdraft center.

This Fog is caused when a low layer of warm, moist air moves over a cooler surface, which could be either land or water.

This fog forms when moist, stable air is forced up a sloping land mass.

This fog can form when warm rain drizzle falls throught a layer of cooler air near the surface.

This fog occurs as cool air moves over warmer water.

This fog occurs in cold weather when the temperature is much below freezing and water vapor sublimates directly as ice crystals.

It counter balances the pressure gradient force and deflects airflow to the right as it flows out of a high pressure area in the northern hemisphere.