1w051 A Set Volume 1 Edit Code 05
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CDC 1W051A VOLUME 1: General Meteorology and Surface Weather Observations 1W051A 01 1107, Edit Code 05 AFSC 1W051
- 1.
- A.
3.5
- B.
4.5
- C.
5.5
- D.
6.5
- 2.The stratosphere is characterized by
- A.
Noctilucent clouds, a “D” layer, and excellent flying conditions.
- B.
A constantly warming temperature, mother-of-pearl clouds, and generally poor flying weather.
- C.
A maximum temperature of 7°C, the strongest concentration of ozone, dense cirrus clouds, and occasionally poor flying conditions.
- D.
A temperature that remains isothermal to about 100,000 feet, the strongest concentration of ozone, and excellent flying conditions.
- 3.Above 13 miles, the radiation from the sun breaks down the oxygen in the atmosphere into
- A.
Ozone gas.
- B.
Argon gas.
- C.
Carbon dioxide.
- D.
Gaseous nitrogen.
- 4.
- A.
It absorbs ultraviolet radiation.
- B.
The most the air can hold is 6 percent.
- C.
The more water vapor, the lighter the air will be.
- D.
It keeps the earth from becoming too hot by absorbing solar radiation.
- 5.The two atmospheric gases most responsible for the absorption of incoming solar radiation are
- A.
Oxygen and ozone.
- B.
Ozone and water vapor.
- C.
Oxygen and water vapor.
- D.
Ozone and carbon dioxide.
- 6.The driving mechanism that is mainly responsible for the earth’s large-scale atmospheric circulations is the
- A.
Unequal heating of the earth.
- B.
Rotation of the earth.
- C.
Hadley cell.
- D.
Polar cell.
- 7.
- A.
Inertia.
- B.
Coriolis.
- C.
Centrifugal.
- D.
Centripetal.
- 8.
- A.
Inertia.
- B.
Coriolis.
- C.
Centrifugal.
- D.
Centripetal.
- 9.Centrifugal force (CeF) will increase when there is a decrease in
- A.
Mass.
- B.
Centripetal force.
- C.
The speed of rotation.
- D.
The radius of rotation.
- 10.Coriolis force (CoF) is created by
- A.
The cyclonic rotation of the earth.
- B.
The anticyclonic rotation of the earth.
- C.
An opposing force to pressure gradient.
- D.
An apparent force, and therefore, it does not exist.
- 11.If you throw a ball towards a stationary target from the window of a speeding vehicle, coriolis force (CoF) will cause the ball to miss the target
- A.
To the right.
- B.
To the left.
- C.
Downward.
- D.
Upward.
- 12.The force that is responsible for starting the horizontal movement of air over earth’s surface is
- A.
Gravity.
- B.
Coriolis.
- C.
Centrifugal.
- D.
Pressure gradient.
- 13.The balance of forces needed for gradient cyclonic circulation is pressure gradient
- A.
Balanced against friction and coriolis forces (CoF).
- B.
And friction balanced against centrifugal force (CeF).
- C.
Balanced against coriolis and centrifugal forces.
- D.
And centrifugal balanced against CoF.
- 14.The areas of low pressure that correspond to the belt of low pressure at 60°N created by the 3-cell circulation are the
- A.
Icelandic and Asiatic lows.
- B.
Icelandic and Aleutian lows.
- C.
Aleutian and Asiatic lows.
- D.
The Aleutian lows.
- 15.In relation to the jet core, the greatest vertical wind shear is usually located
- A.
Above the strongest horizontal shear.
- B.
Below the strongest horizontal shear.
- C.
Above the jet core.
- D.
Below the jet core.
- 16.In relation to the jet core, the greatest horizontal wind shear is usually located
- A.
Above the jet core.
- B.
North of the jet core.
- C.
South of the jet core.
- D.
At the jet core’s narrowest horizontal point.
- 17.The simplest method for locating the 500 millibar frontal zone is to
- A.
Locate the 500 millibar maximum wind band.
- B.
Locate the position of the –11° Centigrade isotherm.
- C.
Locate the position of the –17° Centigrade isotherm.
- D.
Find where the thermal concentration is more than 5° Centigrade in 200 miles.
- 18.The width of the jet stream core is approximately equal to the
- A.
Width of the 500 millibar isotherm ribbon.
- B.
Width of the 500 millibar maximum wind band.
- C.
Distance between the –17° Centigrade and the –20° Centigrade isotherms at 500 millibar.
- D.
Distance between the –20° Centigrade and the –26° Centigrade isotherms at 500 millibar.
- 19.
- A.
In the region of difluence of the STJ and polar front jet (PFJ).
- B.
In the region of confluence of the STJ and PFJ.
- C.
The STJ’s eastern most extension.
- D.
The STJ’S western most extension.
- 20.“Jet fingers”
- A.
Often develop more than 400 miles apart.
- B.
Suggest that the jet stream is beginning to dissipate.
- C.
Are somewhat rare and usually occur either singly or in pairs.
- D.
Are formed during periods when the jet stream is well organized and the core exceeds 100kts.
- 21.Converging contours downstream of the jet stream will cause the jet to
- A.
Decrease in amplitude.
- B.
Increase in amplitude.
- C.
Deflect toward lower heights.
- D.
Deflect toward greater heights.
- 22.Using average surface frontal slopes, how far ahead of the surface warm front is the jet stream located?
- A.
300 miles.
- B.
400 miles.
- C.
500 miles.
- D.
600 miles.
- 23.
- A.
Radiation.
- B.
Advection.
- C.
Convection.
- D.
Conduction.
- 24.Advection transfers temperature
- A.
By electromagnetic waves.
- B.
Horizontally by the wind.
- C.
Vertically by the wind.
- D.
By molecular motion.
- 25.
- A.
Uniform surface, stagnant air, and large-scale difluent flow.
- B.
Must be over water, stagnant air, and large-scale difluent flow.
- C.
Any nonuniform surface, stagnant air, and large-scale difluent flow.
- D.
Must be over smooth land, stagnant air, and large-scale difluent flow.
- 26.
- A.
Loss of heat by radiation.
- B.
Loss of heat by conduction.
- C.
Transport of heat by turbulence.
- D.
Transport of heat by evaporation and condensation.
- 27.Air mass stability characteristics often depend on the temperature difference between the
- A.
Air mass and the source region surface.
- B.
Upper- and lower-level air, and source region.
- C.
Air mass and the surface over which it is traveling.
- D.
Air-mass source region surface and the surface over which the air mass is traveling.
- 28.
- A.
MAws.
- B.
MAks.
- C.
CAwu.
- D.
CAks.
- 29.
- A.
MTwu.
- B.
MTws.
- C.
MTku.
- D.
MTks.
- 30.
- A.
CPks.
- B.
CPws.
- C.
CTws.
- D.
CTku.
- 31.
- A.
MTk.
- B.
MPw.
- C.
CPk.
- D.
CT.
- 32.As an air mass is heated from below, there will be increased
- A.
Option 1
- B.
Stability and an increased lapse rate.
- C.
Instability and a decreased lapse rate.
- D.
Instability and an increased lapse rate.
- 33.It is winter. A cPk air mass is moving over the Great Lakes. In this situation, the southern shores of the Great Lakes will experience
- A.
Hail.
- B.
Heavy snow.
- C.
Thunderstorms.
- D.
Freezing precipitation.
- 34.
- A.
MP.
- B.
CP.
- C.
MT.
- D.
CT.
- 35.Continental tropical air masses are usually associated with
- A.
Thermal lows.
- B.
Thermal highs.
- C.
Migratory lows.
- D.
Migratory highs.
- 36.The rate that an air mass modifies depends on the
- A.
Temperature differences between the new surface and the air mass, the speed with which the air mass travels, and the initial characteristics of the air mass.
- B.
Initial characteristics of the air mass, the speed with which the air mass travels, and amount of moisture in the air mass.
- C.
Initial characteristics of the air mass, the speed with which the air mass travels, and the temperature differences between the new surface and the air mass.
- D.
Temperature differences between the new surface and the air mass, the nature of the surface over which it moves, and the speed with which the air mass travels.
- 37.The weather characteristics of a particular month in a given locality are governed by
- A.
Wind speed and moisture content.
- B.
Effects of local topography and moisture content.
- C.
Wind speed and proximity to a zone of divergence.
- D.
Effects of local topography and proximity to a zone of convergence.
- 38.Surface pressure changes are largely controlled by
- A.
Mass changes in the upper troposphere.
- B.
The jetstream pattern in the upper troposphere.
- C.
Temperature advection in the middle troposphere.
- D.
Positive vorticity advection in the lower troposphere.
- 39.Horizontal divergence within an air mass will
- A.
Cause the surface pressure to rise.
- B.
Increase the mass in the vertical column above the surface.
- C.
Increase the vertical extent of the column above the surface.
- D.
Vertically contract the original column of air and then expand it horizontally.
- 40.As air converges at the surface and toward the center of a layer, there will be horizontal
- A.
And vertical expansion.
- B.
Contraction and vertical expansion.
- C.
Expansion and vertical contraction.
- D.
Contraction and vertical contraction.
- 41.An increase of mass in a column of air will cause the surface pressure to
- A.
Increase.
- B.
Decrease.
- C.
Remain steady.
- D.
Do nothing, pressure is not affected by mass.
- 42.In the chimney effect, the maximum upward vertical wind motion will be located
- A.
At the tropopause.
- B.
At the surface of the earth.
- C.
Throughout the column of air.
- D.
At the level of nondivergence (LND).
- 43.The primary cause of surface pressure changes for a dynamic low is net
- A.
Divergence aloft.
- B.
Adiabatic cooling aloft.
- C.
Adiabatic warming aloft.
- D.
Divergence at the surface.
- 44.A low-pressure system undergoing cyclogenesis is said to be
- A.
Divergence and surface low pressure.
- B.
Forming or deepening.
- C.
Dissipating or filling.
- D.
Forming or filling.
- 45.The damper effect is comprised of upper-level
- A.
Divergence and surface low pressure.
- B.
Divergence and surface high pressure.
- C.
Convergence and surface low pressure.
- D.
Convergence and surface high pressure.
- 46.When the central pressure of an anticyclone is rising, you can infer the anticyclone is
- A.
Filling.
- B.
Building.
- C.
Deepening.
- D.
Weakening.
- 47.A high-pressure system undergoes anticyclolysis when the clockwise circulation area
- A.
Decreases or disappears.
- B.
Increases or disappears.
- C.
Decreases or forms.
- D.
Increases or forms.
- 48.An unstable wave cyclone is one where the amplitude
- A.
Decreases with time and the wave fills.
- B.
Increases with time and the wave fills.
- C.
Decreases with time and the wave deepens.
- D.
Increases with time and the wave deepens.
- 49.After warm air with an unstable wave is pushed aloft and cuts off from a cyclone, the cyclone will become
- A.
Baroclinic and begin to deepen.
- B.
Barotropic and begin to deepen.
- C.
Baroclinic and begin to fill.
- D.
Barotropic and begin to fill.
- 50.Unstable waves are classified as
- A.
Barotropic highs.
- B.
Barotropic lows.
- C.
Baroclinic high.
- D.
Baroclinic lows.
- 51.In the baroclinic instability process,
- A.
Kinetic energy is transferred to the major short wave by thermal advection.
- B.
Potential energy is transferred to the major short wave by thermal advection.
- C.
Kinetic energy is transferred to the major short wave by low-level circulations.
- D.
Potential energy is transferred to the major short wave by low-level circulations.
- 52.When using Petterssen’s rule, the factors needed for cyclogenesis are upper-level
- A.
Convergence and a frontal zone where thermal advection is weak.
- B.
Convergence and a frontal zone where thermal advection is strong.
- C.
Divergence and a frontal zone where thermal advection is weak.
- D.
Divergence and a frontal zone where thermal advection is strong.
- 53.
- A.
Divergence aloft.
- B.
Convergence aloft.
- C.
Cold-air advection.
- D.
Warm-air advection.
- 54.A low dissipates after proceeding through its entire life cycle which ranges from the
- A.
Top down as boundary layer convergence removes mass from the column of air.
- B.
Top down as boundary layer divergence removes mass from the column of air.
- C.
Bottom up as boundary layer convergence adds mass to the column of air.
- D.
Bottom up as boundary layer divergence adds mass to the column of air.
- 55.
- A.
Two.
- B.
Three.
- C.
Four.
- D.
Five.
- 56.In the life cycle of a low, the system will evolve into a cold barotropic low in the
- A.
Mature stage.
- B.
Dissipation stage.
- C.
Wave initiation stage.
- D.
Wave intensification stage.
- 57.Anticyclogenesis typically occurs at, and just downstream from, long-wave
- A.
Ridges under difluent flow aloft.
- B.
Troughs under difluent flow aloft.
- C.
Ridges under confluent flow aloft.
- D.
Troughs under confluent flow aloft.
- 58.
- A.
Negative vorticity advection.
- B.
Positive vorticity advection.
- C.
Convergence aloft.
- D.
Divergence aloft.
- 59.
- A.
Friction.
- B.
Coriolis force.
- C.
Centrifugal force.
- D.
Pressure gradient force.
- 60.A warm barotropic high is a type of pressure system that
- A.
Has great vertical extent and its axis tilts with height.
- B.
Has great vertical extent and is usually found over water areas.
- C.
Rarely exceeds 8,000 feet vertically and its axis tilts with height.
- D.
Rarely exceeds 8,000 feet vertically and is found over water areas.
- 61.In regards to types of pressure systems, a heat low is a
- A.
Cold barotropic low that forms during the winter.
- B.
Cold barotropic low that forms during the summer.
- C.
Warm barotropic low that forms during the winter.
- D.
Warm barotropic low that forms during the summer.
- 62.With the passage of a cold front in the Northern Hemisphere, the horizontal wind direction will
- A.
Become more variable.
- B.
Become more northeasterly.
- C.
Shift in a clockwise direction.
- D.
Shift in a counterclockwise direction.
- 63.The cold conveyor belt originates in the low levels that are located
- A.
West of a low center and flow westward.
- B.
East of a low center and flow westward.
- C.
West of a low center and flow eastward.
- D.
East of a low center and flow eastward.
- 64.The average slope of a cold front is
- A.
1/30 to 1/100.
- B.
1/65 and 1/250.
- C.
1/100 and 1/65.
- D.
1/250 and 1/50.
- 65.A warm frontal occlusion occurs when the cool air
- A.
Ahead of the cold front lifts the cooler air ahead of the warm front.
- B.
Behind the cold front lifts the cooler air ahead of the warm front.
- C.
Behind the cold front overrides the colder air ahead of the warm front.
- D.
Ahead of the warm front overrides the colder air behind the cold front.
- 66.In comparison to an active cold front, an inactive cold front is characterized by a relatively
- A.
Steeper slope, a wide weather pattern, and is called anafront.
- B.
Shallower slope, a wide weather pattern, and is called anafront.
- C.
Steeper slope, a narrow weather pattern, and is called katafront.
- D.
Shallower slope, a narrow weather pattern, and is called katafront.
- 67.When an inactive front passes your station, the dew points will
- A.
Decrease slowly with the passage.
- B.
Decrease sharply with the passage.
- C.
Increase slowly with the passage.
- D.
Increase sharply with the passage.
- 68.When only high and middle clouds are associated with a warm front, the
- A.
Underlying cold air is dry.
- B.
Underlying cold air is moist.
- C.
Overrunning warm air is dry.
- D.
Overrunning warm air is moist.
- 69.In a cold occlusion, the coldest air is found
- A.
Behind the cold front.
- B.
Behind the warm front.
- C.
Ahead of the cold front.
- D.
Ahead of the warm front.
- 70.In a cold occlusion, which type of front, if any, is found aloft?
- A.
The occlusion.
- B.
The warm front.
- C.
The cold front.
- D.
All fronts are at the surface.
- 71.Frontogenesis requires two adjacent air masses with
- A.
The same density and a wind flow separating the two air masses.
- B.
Different densities and a wind flow separating the two air masses.
- C.
The same density and a wind flow to bring the air masses together.
- D.
Different densities and a wind flow to bring the air masses together.
- 72.The frontolytic processes are most effective
- A.
On the east coast of continents.
- B.
On the west coast of continents.
- C.
In the lower layers of the atmosphere.
- D.
In the upper layers of the atmosphere.
- 73.The difference in cloud classification between L1 and L7 is
- A.
Precipitation.
- B.
Vertical development.
- C.
The size of the rain drops.
- D.
Size of the cloud elements.
- 74.
- A.
Cumulus-L1.
- B.
Cumulonimbus-L9.
- C.
Cumulonimbus-L3.
- D.
Towering cumulus-L2.
- 75.The best way to distinguish stratocumulus from altocumulus clouds is to use
- A.
Movement.
- B.
Appearance.
- C.
The color of the elements.
- D.
The size of the elements.
- 76.A corona is often present at night with
- A.
Stratus clouds.
- B.
Altostratus clouds.
- C.
Altocumulus clouds.
- D.
Stratocumulus clouds.
- 77.Cirrus clouds in the form of an anvil are classified as
- A.
H4.
- B.
H3.
- C.
H2.
- D.
H1.
- 78.
- A.
H1.
- B.
H4.
- C.
H7.
- D.
H8.
- 79.
- A.
Cirrus-H4.
- B.
Cirrostratus-H6.
- C.
Cirrostratus-H7.
- D.
Cirrocumulus-H9.
- 80.Which orographic cloud resembles an almond or a fish?
- A.
Rotor.
- B.
Lenticular.
- C.
Foehn wall.
- D.
Castellanus.
- 81."Clouds or obscuring phenomena that have bases at the same approximate level” is the definition of
- A.
Sky condition.
- B.
Sky cover.
- C.
A ceiling.
- D.
A layer.
- 82.
- A.
Red.
- B.
Blue.
- C.
Black.
- D.
Yellow.
- 83.You are preparing to use a convective cloud height table to determine the heights of clouds. To do this properly, you must first determine the
- A.
Wet-bulb temperature and free-air temperature.
- B.
Dew-point temperature and free-air temperature.
- C.
Wet-bulb temperature and dew-point temperature.
- D.
Dew-point temperature and dry-bulb temperature.
- 84.How do you report prevailing visibility at US stations and overseas stations?
- A.
Meters for both.
- B.
Statute miles for both.
- C.
Statute miles for US stations and meters for overseas stations.
- D.
Meters for US stations and statute miles for overseas stations.
- 85.To properly report the visibility for more than one sector, you would list the sectors in a
- A.
Clockwise direction starting with the northernmost sector.
- B.
Clockwise direction starting with the southernmost sector.
- C.
Counterclockwise direction starting with the northernmost sector.
- D.
Counterclockwise direction starting with the southernmost sector.
- 86.For a runway visual range (RVR) report of R22/1000V1600FT, what is the visual range that a pilot can expect to see down the runway?
- A.
1,000 feet.
- B.
1,600 feet.
- C.
1,300 feet.
- D.
1,000 to 1,600 feet varying.
- 87.
- A.
Snow.
- B.
Ice crystals.
- C.
Ice pellets.
- D.
Snow grains.
- 88.You would classify precipitation as intermittent if it
- A.
Stopped and started at least once within the preceding hour.
- B.
Stopped and started at least twice within the preceding hour.
- C.
Stopped and started at least once within the preceding 15 minutes.
- D.
Occurred any time in the preceding hour but not at the time of observation.
- 89.When frozen precipitation is expected, you would
- A.
Collect it in the in the overflow unit of the rain gauge.
- B.
Collect it in the measuring tube of the rain gauge.
- C.
Use a 24-inch measuring stick to measure the frozen precipitation.
- D.
Use a 36-inch measuring stick to measure the frozen precipitation.
- 90.The distinguishing feature of any tornadic activity is
- A.
Intense thunderstorm activity.
- B.
Wind gusts over 35 knots in speed.
- C.
Cumulonimbus mammatus clouds.
- D.
The funnel-shaped appendage that hangs from the base of the cloud.
- 91.A thunderstorm is present and occurring at your station. In addition, the local noise level is preventing you from hearing the thunderstorm. For observation purposes you would say
- A.
Hail is falling.
- B.
Heavy rain is falling.
- C.
There is lightning within 10 nautical miles.
- D.
A cumulonimbus cloud is present overhead.
- 92.A thunderstorm officially ends
- A.
Ten minutes after the last occurrence of thunder, hail, or lightning.
- B.
Immediately after the last occurrence of thunder, hail, or lightning.
- C.
Fifteen minutes after the last occurrence of thunder, hail, or lightning.
- D.
Twenty minutes after the last occurrence of thunder, hail, or lightning.
- 93.For observing purposes, five hydrometers are considered to be obstructions to vision. They include mist, fog, blowing snow,
- A.
Blowing spray, and blowing sand.
- B.
Freezing fog, and blowing sand.
- C.
Freezing fog, and blowing dust.
- D.
Freezing fog, and blowing spray.
- 94.Blowing spray is reported only at sea stations near large bodies of water and when visibility at eye level is restricted to
- A.
9,000 meters or less.
- B.
7,000 meters or less.
- C.
6,000 meters or less.
- D.
3,200 meters or less.
- 95.What pressure value is the basis for determining all other pressure values?
- A.
Station pressure.
- B.
Altimeter setting.
- C.
Sea-level pressure.
- D.
Corrected aneroid reading.
- 96.What is the reference level for all pressure values?
- A.
Station pressure.
- B.
Altimeter setting.
- C.
Sea-level pressure.
- D.
Corrected aneroid reading.
- 97.The temperature to which a given parcel of air must be cooled, with constant water vapor content and pressure, to reach saturation is called
- A.
Dew point.
- B.
Relative humidity.
- C.
The dry-bulb temperature.
- D.
The wet-bulb temperature.
- 98.The temperature an air parcel would have if it were cooled adiabatically to saturation at constant pressure by evaporation of water into it is called
- A.
Dew point.
- B.
Relative humidity.
- C.
Dry bulb temperature.
- D.
Wet bulb temperature.
- 99.Wind observing equipment is oriented to
- A.
True north.
- B.
True south.
- C.
Magnetic north.
- D.
Magnetic south.
- 100.A change in wind direction of 45° (or more) that takes place in less than 15 minutes is called a
- A.
Gust.
- B.
Squall.
- C.
Wind shift.
- D.
Variable wind.
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