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GEO 101 Weather and Climate: Review Guide for Exam III
Ch. 9: Weather Patterns
The characteristics of a midlatitude cyclone (MLC):
o Direction of air movement in entire system (cyclonic air
movement)
o Parts: leading warm front, warm sector, cold front
o
Wind direction in each portion (leading warm front, warm sector,
and cold front)o PowerPoint slide on the development of the MLC-
six phases: what happens in
each phase?
Front types and their characteristics and map
symbols/colors:
o Warm
o Cold
o Occluded
o Stationary
o Dryline
Overrunning vs. undercutting? When and where do these occur?
Associated with which
front types?
What is Cyclogenesis and why is it important?
What is occlusion?
Where does convergence and divergence of air occur in cyclones
and anticyclonic
events? What are ridges and troughs and how do they fit in with
the wave front theory?
Ch. 10: Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
What air mass is most associated with thunderstorms and why?
What are the stages of thunderstorm development?
What is entrainment?
Explanations of the following terms?
o Supercell
o Mesocyclone
o Mesoscale convective complex (MCC)
o Squalls
PowerPoint slide: Anatomy of severe weather: be familiar with it
and its brief explanation to
the left.
What is the difference between a storm chaser and a storm
spotter?
Origins of thunder and lightning, power flashes, stepped leader,
and launched positive plasma
filaments from ground objects
Tornado Terminology:
o Funnel cloud
o Vortex
o Suction vortices
o Wall cloud
What is the F-Scale and how is it different from the F-Scale for
Hurricanes?
Doppler radar and NEXRAD: differences
Tornado videos: some case studies and characteristics of tornado
movement: (usually to the
northeast)
Tornado watches and warnings: whats the difference?
Ch. 11: Hurricanes
Other names for hurricanes based on geographic location
Where hurricanes form (geographically) and why?
Eye wall and eye of the hurricane; what are they?
Characteristics of hurricane development: where, movement, wind
speed, temperature of
ocean water, etc.?
Stages of development: wind speeds?
o Tropical disturbance
o Tropical depression
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o Tropical storm
o Hurricane
What diminished hurricanes?
What is the Saffir-Simpson Scale?
Damage Classes?
o Storm surge
o Wind damage
o Inland freshwater flooding
Information Systems, Warnings, and Watches
Exam format: matching, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, diagram
labeling, essay.
DISCLAIMER: This study guide is NOT intended to be
all-inclusive, but to serve as a starting point for yourstudies. It
should NOT be implied that all topics listed here will be included
as exam questions. It shouldalso be noted that the exam may contain
terms not included here.
