Into the Eye: The Severe Weather Quiz

If thunderstorms require the formation of tall cumulonimbus clouds, and if these clouds form when warm, moist air is forced upward into cooler regions of the atmosphere, then rapidly rising moist air is the essential ingredient.

If a "Watch" is meant to alert the public to potential development based on atmospheric ingredients, and if a "Warning" is an urgent notice based on radar or sightings, then the difference is between favorability and actual occurrence.

If turbulent air in a storm cloud causes ice crystals and water droplets to collide, and if these collisions create a separation of static charges, then a massive electrical discharge (lightning) must occur to balance those charges.

If a storm possesses a strong rotating updraft (mesocyclone), and if that rotation tightens and reaches the Earth's surface, then the resulting weather phenomenon is classified as a tornado.

If Doppler Radar measures the change in frequency of waves reflected off moving objects (the Doppler effect), then it is the only tool listed capable of seeing the internal motion and rotation of a storm.

If a thunderstorm requires a steady supply of warm, rising air (updraft), and if the falling rain creates a downdraft that cuts off this supply, then the storm enters the dissipating stage and weakens.

If hurricanes require heat and moisture to fuel the rising air in the eyewall, and if warm ocean water provides the highest rates of evaporation and latent heat, then the ocean is the primary energy source.

If the eye is an area of sinking air and low pressure at the center of the storm, and if the eyewall is the ring of clouds surrounding it, then the eye is actually the calmest part, making the statement false.

If wind speeds in a tornado are difficult to measure directly, and if scientists can correlate specific structural damage to wind force, then the EF Scale uses damage to estimate the tornado's strength.

If meteorologists need to categorize hurricanes from Category 1 to 5 to communicate potential wind damage, then they use the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

If a hurricane needs heat, moisture, and a calm upper atmosphere to maintain its structure, then warm water, moist air, and low wind shear are required, while high pressure and land would weaken it.

If lightning heats the air to 30,000 degrees Celsius instantly, and if that heat causes the air to expand explosively and then contract, then the resulting shockwave is heard as thunder.

If heavy rain occurs upstream or in higher elevations, and if that water flows rapidly into lower drainage basins, then a flash flood can strike areas where no local rain is falling.

If most thunderstorms are short-lived, but some develop a rotating core called a mesocyclone, then that specific long-lived and highly organized storm is called a supercell.

If low pressure and high winds act on the ocean surface during a storm, and if those forces push a "wall" of water onto land, then that phenomenon is defined as a storm surge.

If tornadoes require the clashing of significantly different air masses to create instability, and if the central U.S. is the primary meeting point for tropical and polar air, then that region is most prone to tornadoes.

If freezing rain and sleet can cause power outages and dangerous road conditions with very little accumulation, then the danger level is not strictly dependent on snow depth.

If a column of sinking air hits the ground and spreads out rapidly in all directions, then it creates intense "straight-line" winds that can be as damaging as a small tornado.

If cumulus clouds grow vertically due to strong updrafts and reach the top of the troposphere, then they become the anvil-shaped clouds known as cumulonimbus.

If the goal is to avoid flying debris and collapsing structures, then moving to an underground or interior low-level room away from glass is the safest action.