Thunderstorms and Tornadoes Quiz

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Question #1

The development of tornadoes is usually anticipated when these ingredients are seen and/or expected to come together _________________________________________

A Santa Ana winds, strong pressure gradient, low relative humidity

B temperature inversion, fog, subsidence

C instability, wind shear, convection, adequate surface moisture

D cold air, warm air, stormy skies

Question #2

What facility in the United States is tasked with the prediction and forecasting of thunderstorms and severe weather nationwide and is this a private or public service?

A Storm Prediction Center which is a public service

B Weather Prediction Network which is a private service

C Accuweather which is a public service

D The Weather Channel which is a public service

Question #3

In general there are two types of tornado-producing thunderstorms – the non-mesocyclone and the mesocyclone modes. What is the difference and how are they identified?

A mesocyclones are the products of supercells while non-mesocyclone thunderstorms sometimes spawn landspout tornadoes

B mesocyclones spin one way while non mesocyclones spin another way

C non-mesocyclones are the products of supercells while mesocyclone thunderstorms sometimes spawn landspout tornadoes

D mesocyclones can be big cyclones while non-mesocyclones may be small cyclones

Question #4

What are the different types of thunderstorm-related hazards?

A unpredictability, blizzards, droughts, Santa Ana winds

B temperature inversions, heat waves, La Nina conditions

C convective inhibition, daytime mirage, urban heat island

D heavy rain and flash flooding, lightning, strong straight-line winds, hail, tornadoes

Question #5

Mesocyclone tornadoes are often the product of _____________________________ thunderstorms.

A garden variety

B supercell

C windy

D multicell

Question #6

Strong, sometimes damaging, winds that can last only a few minutes and hit a relatively small and local area directly under a thunderstorm, common across the desert Southwest in the summer are known as _______________________________

A dust devils

B updrafts

C tornadoes

D microbursts

Question #7

When we think ice, we often associate it with very cold temperatures. If ice is falling as precipitation most people would assume the air temperature would need to be at freezing or below. However, under a strong or severe thunderstorm the thermometer can be approaching the century mark and balls of ice may suddenly descend like pebbles to the ground! How can this be? Please explain this weird phenomenon in light of our learning about hail.

A during a thunderstorm if it occurs within a transition season then winter weather may visit before summer commences during the middle of spring

B ice is frozen water and that can only be maintained during freezing temperatures so hail would not be experienced if the temperature was warmer than freezing at the ground

C a very strong updraft moves warm moist air up to very high altitudes where it is very cold – thus allowing water droplets to freeze and grow into ice, with the size oftentimes being a function of that updraft strength

D this is a mystery with no explanation

Question #8

If there is a cool layer of air near the ground, however, as the altitude increases so does the temperature (i.e. it gets warmer higher up) would this be classified as a stable or unstable atmosphere?

A unstable

B stable

Question #9

What is convection and what role does it play in thunderstorm development?

A the process of warm air rising into colder air aloft which leads is the product of an unstable atmosphere which is a key ingredient of thunderstorm formation

B foggy conditions that are a key sign of a temperature inversion

C cold air near the ground with warmer air above it that creates a temperature inversion which is a very stable atmosphere

D cold air being heavy descends and is often associated with the development of thermal high pressure

Question #10

What are the basic ingredients necessary to be in place in the atmosphere for the formation of thunderstorms?

A high pressure, sinking air, low dewpoint

B fog, temperature inversion, marine layer

C stable air, moisture, stratus clouds

D unstable air, moisture, convection

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