ATMO 170A1 Section 3, Spring 2012 - Zeng
Homework Assignment #9
Due before midnight on Tuesday 4/17/2012 via http://d2l.arizona.edu (click on quizzes)
Choose the right (one) answer for each question
1. Geostationary satellites orbit the equator
(a) at a rate greater than the rate the earth spins, (b) at the same rate the earth spins, (c) at a rate
less than the rate the earth spins
2. Using infrared satellite information, how can a forecaster distinguish high clouds from low
clouds?
(a) high clouds are colder than low clouds, (b) high clouds are warmer than low clouds, (c) high
clouds are drier than low clouds, (d) high clouds are more humid than low clouds
3. How can ensemble forecasts improve medium-range forecasts?
(a) if ensemble members agree fairly well, a forecaster can place a high degree of confidence in
the forecast, (b) if ensemble members do not agree, a forecaster can place a high degree of
confidence in the forecast, (c) the agreement or disagreement of ensemble members has nothing
to do with the confidence in the forecast
4. If today's is weather forecast calls for a `chance of snow', what is the percentage probability
that it will snow today?
(a) 0-20%, (b) 30-50%, (c) 60-70%, (d) 80% and above
5. Forecasts show skill
(a) when they are accurate, (b) when they are more accurate than forecasts using only persistence
or climatology, (c) when they are correct for today
6. Monthly forecasts of heavy precipitation are called
(a) weather watch, (b) weather warning, (c) weather outlook
7. We can not predict the weather on the day that is one month from today, primarily because
(a) the atmosphere is chaotic, (b) observational data are not accurate enough, (c) models are not
good enough
8. Surface system tends to move in the direction of
(a) surface wind, (b) wind at 500 m height, (c) wind at 5500 m height
9. The ratio of the altitude of the geostationary satellite over that of the polar orbiting satellite is
about
(a) 20, (b) 40, (c) 60
10. The forecasting of weather by computer models is known as
(a) persistence forecasting, (b) analogue prediction, (c) numerical weather prediction.
11. Which of the following explain why it is possible to see clouds on satellite images taken at
night?
(a) the clouds reflect light coming from the moon, (b) the clouds emit visible light, (c) the
clouds emit infrared light
12. A forecast method that compares past weather maps and weather patterns to those of the
present is
(a) persistence forecasting, (b) the analogue method, (c) the trend method.