Short Answer

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Short Answer
Answer each question with a few sentences.

This activity contains 8 questions.

Name and briefly explain the four forces that influence the speed and direction of winds.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

In the next few questions, you will be looking at infrared (IR) satellite images of North America showing cloud features as small as 1 km. High-level clouds are bright white, whereas lower clouds are off-white. Looking at this image for April 28, 2005, can you see general evidence for westerly (west-to-east) winds? Explain. (image source)

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

In the image above, there seem to be two distinct jet streams evident. Describe the general path of each using compass directions and/or place names (states, regions, etc). What common names are used for these jet streams in North America, and what specific term is used to indicate the obvious "U" shaped undulation (dip) in the more northerly of the two jets?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

The infrared image below, acquired at about the same time as the one above, shows an obvious circulation feature off the coast of Oregon and California. Is this a high pressure or a low pressure cell? Cyclone or anti-cyclone? Explain how you arrived at your answer. (image source)

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Weather maps show winds using feathered barbs depicted here. Note that the number of feathers indicates wind speed. On this map of current weather, find the station nearest your location. What is the windspeed?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Now look at the same place on this map of current winds at 6000 feet. What is the windspeed? Is this higher or lower than the surface windspeed? Explain.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Explain the three types of winds that occur in response to local terrain features. Do you notice any of these types of local winds where you live?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

In August 2000, an early monsoon season caused extensive flooding in several countries of southeast Asia, and claimed hundreds of lives by floods and landslides. Explain the conditions that led to the Asian monsoon.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

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