Name:________________________________
Synoptic Meteorology II
Quiz#1
Review of Synoptic I
Each question is worth five points for a quiz total of 20 points.
(1) The resultant thickness change from warm thermal advection at low levels is just
sufficient to balance the near-surface vorticity change produced by _________ forced by
T ________ of the surface low.
(a) convergence, downstream, LP#1, slides#35-38
(b) convergence, upstream
(c) divergence, downstream
(d) divergence, upstream
(2) Strong CVA is occurring at location “X” at the 500 hPa level and zero vorticity
advection is occurring at location “X” at the 300 hPa level. Draw (in a dashed line) the
proper deflection (if any) of the isobaric surfaces that results from the vorticity advection
and describe the type of vertical motion (rising or sinking or none) that can be expected at
location “X” as a result of the vertical differential vorticity advection. Be clear in your
description to note how the vertical motion is helping to maintain some type of balance
{name the balance.}
based on QG theory, CVA implies height falls of an isobaric surface, so ht falls
would be observed at “X” at the 500 hPa level and ZERO ht changes would be observed
at “X” at the 300 hPa level. Hence, the thickness between the two surfaces would
increase in time, without a corresponding change in the layer mean temperature, hence
sinking motion (adiabatic or compressional warming) must take place to maintain
hydrostatic (hypsometric) balance so that a thickness increase will be accompanied by a
layer mean temperature increase.
{over for Problems 3 and 4}
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(3) In the absence of horizontal motion, an isentropic surface would be ________ as a
cold dome of air formed, implying that  would be ________.
(a) rising, negative, LP#2, slide#27
(b) rising, positive
(c) sinking, negative
(d) sinking, positive
(4) Arrow ________ is ________-relative air parcel trajectory in which the wind speed of
the air parcel is greater than the propagation speed of the trough.
(a) AB, an earth, LP#2, slide#44
(b) AB, a storm
(c) AD, an earth
(d) AD, a storm
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