Part 2 — Answer key

Compare your answers after you have finished Part 1.

1. A forecast says “Wind: NW 15 mph.” Which way is the wind actually coming from?
   From the northwest
2. A weather watch means the hazardous weather is already happening in your area right now.
   False
3. You see 0°C on a mountain weather station. About what is that in °F?
   32°F
4. Low pressure systems are generally linked to rising air, more clouds, and a higher chance of precipitation.
   True
5. Which instrument measures air pressure at the surface?
   Barometer
6. A city’s “normal” July high temperature is calculated from decades of data. That number is describing:
   Climate
7. Relative humidity tells you exactly how much water vapor is in the air.
   False
8. You spot a thunderstorm with a flat, spreading “anvil” top. What cloud type produces that classic anvil shape?
   Cumulonimbus
9. On a surface weather map, tightly packed isobars usually mean:
   Stronger winds
10. On most weather maps, a cold front is usually drawn with semicircles along the line.
    False
11. Dew point is best described as the:
    Temperature the air must cool to for saturation
12. The sky looks like a low, gray blanket with little texture, and the day feels gloomy. Which cloud type best matches that description?
    Stratus
13. A tornado warning is usually issued for a smaller, more specific area than a tornado watch, and it signals you should take action immediately.
    True
14. When you hear an “EF-3” tornado mentioned, the “EF” refers to the:
    Enhanced Fujita Scale
15. The Saffir-Simpson hurricane category is based on:
    Maximum sustained wind
16. In the U.S. wind chill calculation, wind chill is only defined for temperatures at or below 50°F and wind speeds above about 3 mph.
    True
17. A warm front is approaching overnight. Which weather pattern is most typical ahead of it?
    Widespread layered clouds with steadier precipitation
18. A weather app shows a temperature drop of 10°C behind a front. About how big is that change in °F?
    18°F
19. Dew point can never be higher than the air temperature.
    True
20. By afternoon, the barometer rises steadily and winds weaken. Which change in the sky is most likely over the next several hours?
    More stable skies with fewer clouds
21. You see smooth, lens-shaped clouds stacked like pancakes near a mountain ridge, and the wind is gusty. Those clouds most strongly suggest:
    Mountain-wave turbulence and strong winds aloft
22. At sunset the temperature is 68°F and the dew point is 67°F. Winds go calm and skies clear overnight. What becomes most likely late tonight?
    Radiation fog
23. In the Northern Hemisphere, winds around a surface high pressure system generally rotate clockwise.
    True
24. A hurricane is “only Category 1,” but officials still emphasize that the biggest life-threatening risk may be water. Which threat are they most likely warning about?
    Storm surge and flooding
25. A desert city sits downwind of a tall mountain range. One side is lush and rainy, but the city stays dry most of the year. What is the best explanation?
    Rain shadow effect
26. You see streaks of precipitation falling from a cloud, but the ground underneath stays dry. What is that called?
    Virga
27. Cirrus clouds are usually low-level clouds made mainly of liquid water droplets.
    False
28. A forecast discussion mentions an “occluded front” moving through. What does that mean?
    A cold front has overtaken a warm front
29. It is 86°F with a dew point of 75°F. How will it most likely feel outside?
    Muggy and oppressive
30. Lightning can strike several miles away from the main rain shaft of a thunderstorm.
    True
31. A sharp temperature drop, a wind shift, and a narrow line of thunderstorms arrives in the afternoon. Which boundary most likely just passed?
    Cold front
32. A rotating thunderstorm produces a localized lowering of the cloud base with inflow rising into it. What feature is this most likely describing?
    Wall cloud
33. Radar shows a long, narrow line of intense reflectivity racing east just ahead of a cold front. What is the most likely label for that feature?
    Squall line
34. On radar, you notice a ring of enhanced reflectivity that persists at about the same distance from the radar in many directions, even when precipitation seems light. This pattern most likely relates to:
    The melting layer (bright band)
35. A hurricane’s Saffir-Simpson category by itself tells you how high storm surge will be.
    False
36. A storm drops large hail even though surface temperatures are well above freezing. How do those hailstones most commonly grow?
    They cycle up and down in strong updrafts through freezing levels
37. A dryline is a boundary between air masses that is defined mainly by a sharp change in moisture rather than temperature.
    True
38. You notice surface pressure falling quickly over 3 hours while winds noticeably increase. What is the most likely interpretation?
    The pressure gradient is tightening as a low approaches
39. An early morning observation reports temperature 28°F, dew point 28°F, and very low visibility with no snow falling. What is the most likely cause of the low visibility?
    Freezing fog
40. Two afternoons both show 40% relative humidity. City A has a dew point of 65°F, City B has a dew point of 45°F. Which city has more water vapor in the air?
    City A
41. A meteorologist calls a rapidly intensifying coastal storm a “bomb cyclone.” What does that term most specifically refer to?
    A rapid drop in central pressure, about 24 mb in 24 hours