Meteorology and Weather Phenomena Quiz

Wind shear can cause sudden uncontrollable rolls, fluctuations in airspeed and altitude, and violent, unsteady movement of air, posing a significant threat to aircraft. Systems like the Low-Level Wind Shear Alert System (LLWAS) and an airborne wind shear warning system (GPWS mode 7) are used to detect and warn of wind shear hazards.

Global wind patterns are influenced by temperature differentials, leading to the formation of jet streams. Jet streams are high-altitude air currents moving eastward at speeds of 100 to 400 knots, caused by large temperature and pressure differences at the intersection of cold and warm air masses.

The Coriolis effect causes winds to appear to curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, influencing the movement of global winds.

<p>The doldrums, or the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), around the equator is an area of light winds and active weather due to the convergence of trade winds. It impacts weather and wind patterns in the region.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Jet streams are high-altitude air currents moving eastward at speeds of 100 to 400 knots, caused by large temperature and pressure differences at the intersection of cold and warm air masses. They can lead to clear air turbulence (CAT) for aircraft flying nearby and can make it difficult for aircraft to fly against them.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Relative humidity is the amount of moisture in the air compared to its capacity at a given temperature. Clouds and fog form when the air is saturated with moisture and the relative humidity reaches 100%.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Clouds and fog reduce visibility, and cumulonimbus clouds are associated with thunderstorms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The water cycle involves processes such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff, leading to the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Clouds form when there is water vapor, cooling for condensation, and solid particles in the air.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Aircraft have difficulty flying against jet streams and may choose to fly with or above them to increase ground speed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Cumulonimbus clouds are dense, vertically developed clouds that produce heavy rains, thunderstorms, or hailstorms due to their towering structure and instability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Stratus clouds are low-level clouds with horizontal layering and a uniform base, often producing overcast or foggy conditions without significant precipitation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Cirrus clouds are high-level, thin, and wispy clouds made of ice crystals, often indicating fair weather but can also signal the approach of a warm front.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Thunderstorms are formed by cumulonimbus clouds and involve heavy precipitation, strong wind, lightning, and thunder, with hazards including turbulence, microbursts, icing, structural damage from hail, and electrical interference from lightning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Monsoons are major wind systems that seasonally reverse their direction, blowing for approximately six months from the northeast and six months from the southwest, bringing wet or dry weather depending on the monsoon direction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Air masses are large masses of air with similar temperature and humidity characteristics, classified by latitude and continental or maritime source regions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Fronts are boundaries that form when two air masses with different characteristics meet, including warm, cold, stationary, and occluded fronts. Warm fronts occur when warm air overtakes cooler air, while cold fronts occur when high pressure pushes cold, dense air and forces warm air upward.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Northeast Monsoon from December to March brings wet weather to Singapore due to the prevailing winds from the northeast, leading to increased rainfall and humidity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Southwest Monsoon from June to September brings dry weather to Singapore, potentially leading to drought conditions and decreased rainfall.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Water droplets accumulate in clouds until they become too heavy and fall as precipitation, including rain, snow, or hail, depending on ambient temperature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The movement of air relative to the surface of the Earth is caused by differences in atmospheric pressure, where a large amount of air flows from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. Hazardous wind conditions can cause aircraft to crash when landing or taking off.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Thunderstorms can bring hazards such as lightning, turbulence, downbursts, icing, and hail, posing risks to aviation safety.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wind shear can lead to sudden changes in wind speed and direction, posing a threat to aircraft control and stability. The potential consequences of encountering wind shear include loss of control and difficulty in landing or taking off.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Microbursts are caused by rapidly descending air within a thunderstorm, and they can create hazardous wind conditions near the surface, impacting aviation operations by posing risks during takeoff and landing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure generates wind. Wind hazards, such as wind shear and microburst, can pose significant risks to aviation safety, particularly during takeoff and landing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wind is the movement of air relative to the Earth's surface, and it interacts with the Earth's surface by flowing from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, creating pressure differences due to uneven heating and surface variations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Atmospheric pressure differences lead to the movement of air, causing wind. Hazardous wind conditions can affect aircraft operations by creating challenges during takeoff and landing, potentially leading to crashes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Thunderstorms contribute to hazardous weather conditions for aviation by bringing lightning, turbulence, downbursts, icing, and hail, which can pose significant risks to aircraft operations and safety.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wind hazards, including wind shear and microburst, have implications for aviation safety by creating risks during takeoff and landing, and they can impact aircraft performance by causing sudden changes in wind speed and direction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure generates wind. The potential dangers of wind hazards for aviation include crashes during landing or takeoff, as well as challenges in controlling aircraft in turbulent conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wind can impact aviation by causing hazardous conditions such as wind shear, microburst, and turbulence. It is caused by differences in atmospheric pressure, which in turn arise from the uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the sun.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Hazardous wind conditions include those that can cause aircraft to crash when landing or taking off.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wind shear is the change in wind speed and/or direction over a short distance. It can have a significant impact on aircraft during takeoff and landing, potentially causing loss of control.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Thunderstorms can lead to aviation hazards such as lightning, turbulence, downbursts, icing, hail, and other dangerous conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Other weather hazards to aviation include precipitation, dust, sandstorms, and volcanic ash.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the sun creates differences in atmospheric pressure, leading to the movement of air and the generation of wind.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Weather plays a crucial role in aviation decision-making, as pilots need to consider both current weather conditions and forecasts to determine whether to continue or cancel a flight.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A microburst is a small-scale downdraft that can pose a significant hazard to aircraft, especially during takeoff and landing, due to its sudden and strong wind shear.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Warm air rising creates lower pressure on the Earth's surface, while descending cooler air produces higher pressure, leading to the movement of air and the formation of wind.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The varying absorption and reflection of the Sun's rays by different land and water surfaces leads to differences in heating, which in turn creates variations in atmospheric pressure and generates wind.</p> Signup and view all the answers