Climate & Meteorology
MASTERY ASSIGNMENT – 2015
Directions: You must submit this document via Google Docs to lzimmerman@wcpss.net. The document must
include the questions and pictures must be hand drawn and included within the document. You should take a
picture of your drawings with your fancy cell phone and insert the picture into the document as necessary.
1. What type of air mass forms over land in colder regions?
2. Rainy, windy, and stormy weather usually come with
3. If there were a high-pressure system over North Carolina for many days in July, what would typically be our
weather conditions?
4. Most scientists agree that man is enhancing global warming. What impact will this have on climate?
5. A pattern of symbols that represent the weather at an observing station and is recorded on a weather map
is called a
a. weather map
b. weather symbol
c. weather model
d. station model
6. If you had cold air coming down from Canada and it collided with warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico,
what weather phenomenon might be produced? Be specific!
7. What happens to warm moist air when it rises?
8. Which type of front brings with it heavy precipitation followed by colder air?
9. Which type of front forms when a cold air mass that overtakes a warm air mass and lifts the warm air mass
off the ground and over another cold air mass
10. Precipitation over a large area is usually associated with what kind of front?
11. Which type of air mass would bring warm, wet air?
12. Label the diagrams below and describe the wind movement in each.
Match the type of front on the right with the symbol.
13. __________ Occluded
14. __________Warm
15. __________ Cold
16. __________ Stationary
Label each of the following as processes that release carbon dioxide to the atmosphere or as processes that
take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. (Release = A, Take out = B)
17. _______________Photosynthesis by plants
18. _______________Burning of fossil fuels
19. _______________Respiration by plants and animals
20. _______________Dissolving of carbon dioxide in oceans
21. Which type of air mass has cold, moist air?
22. The average temperature and rainfall over the last 30 years is called
23. What kinds of conditions would produce storminess and clouds?
24. _________Temperature
a. barometer
25. _________Air Pressure
b. anemometer
26. _________Wind Direction
c. thermometer
27. _________ Wind Speed
d. weather satellites
28. _________ Cloud locations and coverage
e. weather vane
29.
LOW
HIGH
Called:
Air is:
Caused by:
Winds blow:
Rotates:
Weather:
Barometer:
**All wind deflects to the ______________________in the Northern Hemisphere**
30. What is the greenhouse effect? DESCRIBE and DRAW a detailed diagram of the greenhouse effect
including color and the following: CO2, UV radiation, short waves, long waves, infrared radiation, Sun,
Earth, Atmosphere
31. Name four (4) greenhouse gases and explain where the gases come from?
32. What is the difference between “climate change” and “global warming”?
33. What impact will warming oceans have on weather and climate?
34. What is the relationship between hurricanes and a warming of the oceans?
35. Isobars are lines that connect points of equal_______________________.
36. Warm air tends to do what?
37. Cold air tends to do what?
38. Which is denser, wet air or dry air? Explain your answer!
39. The Coriolis Effect is due to the rotation of the Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere wind and ocean
currents are deflected to the ______________
deflected to the ____________ __.
_, while in the Southern Hemisphere they are
Base your answers to the following questions (40 – 43) on the information and weather map below. The
weather map shows the center of a low-pressure system. The symbol
represents the dry line
which separates cT and mT air masses. Isobars are drawn at intervals of 4 millibars. Letter A indicates a
weather station model.
40. The atmospheric conditions in eastern Nebraska are represented on the map by a station model labeled A.
Fill in the correct information for each weather variable, based on station model A.
Air temperature: ______________°F
Dewpoint: ______________°F
Wind direction from: ______________
Wind speed: ______________ knots
Cloud cover: ______________ %
41. Compared to the temperature and humidity of the air on the east side of the dry line, describe the
temperature and humidity of the air on the west side.
Temperature: _____________________________________________________________
Humidity: ________________________________________________________________
42. Explain why the warm air is rising along the warm front.
43. In what compass direction will the center of this low-pressure system most likely move if it follows a
normal storm track?
44. Draw a picture of the orographic effect and correctly label all parts of the diagram including a description
of what is happening.