Choose the best answer.
|
1 | | Why is knowledge of local effects so important to weather forecasters? |
| | A) | It provides additional guidance with which to make an accurate forecast. |
| | B) | It's the only information about the weather available to forecasters. |
| | C) | It tells exactly what the weather will be without the use of other data. |
| | D) | Knowledge of local effects is of no benefit to forecasters whatsoever. |
|
|
2 | | While trend forecasting (extrapolation) works fairly well in the short term, why does it become less useful for longer forecast periods? |
| | A) | Meteorologists are particularly bad at arithmetic. |
| | B) | Numerical weather prediction models are generally less accurate at longer forecast times. |
| | C) | Weather systems do not often remain at constant speeds or development rates. |
| | D) | Persistence works better for long-term forecasts. |
|
|
3 | | Why must short-term changes in the barometric pressure be used with caution? |
| | A) | Pressure falls are often indicative of improving weather conditions. |
| | B) | Pressure undergoes a cycle of rises and falls every 12 hours or so. |
| | C) | Pressure rises are often indicative of approaching stormy weather. |
| | D) | A and B are correct. |
|
|
4 | | Why is it misleading to refer to the jet stream's 'steering' of surface cyclones? |
| | A) | Areas of convergence and divergence associated with the jet stream change the surface pressure pattern. |
| | B) | It is actually the mid-level flow (not the jet stream) that steers surface cyclones. |
| | C) | Jet-stream 'steering' of surface cyclones works best for short-term forecasts. |
| | D) | None of the above. |
|
|
5 | | If tomorrow's 8 am temperature is forecast to be 42°F, and tomorrow's 6 pm temperature is forecast to be 60°F, what would be the best estimate of tomorrow's 1 pm temperature (using interpolation)? |
| | A) | 44°F. |
| | B) | 32°F. |
| | C) | 58°F. |
| | D) | 50°F. |
|
|
6 | | Why are surface and upper-air weather data plotted on maps? |
| | A) | To give novice meteorologists something to do, keeping them out of the way. |
| | B) | To determine the areal extent of weather systems, and to correlate them to features observed from radar and satellite imagery. |
| | C) | To track the progress of major weather systems, such as fronts and cyclones. |
| | D) | A and B are correct. |
| | E) | B and C are correct. |
|
|
7 | | Meteorologists may be hired to perform the following jobs: |
| | A) | Create detailed short-term forecasts for military operations. |
| | B) | Create numerical models to simulate the transport and diffusion of pollutants. |
| | C) | Assess short- and long-term weather cycles to determine commodities futures. |
| | D) | All of the above. |
| | E) | Meteorologists would do none of these things. |
|
|
8 | | The low temperature for Rochester, NY on March 22, 2003 is 28°F, based on the normal low temperature for this date at this location. What forecast method was used to arrive at this forecast? |
| | A) | Persistence. |
| | B) | Climatology. |
| | C) | Weather types. |
| | D) | Extrapolation. |
| | E) | Trend forecasting. |
|
|
9 | | Why should a meteorologist check past and present weather observations before making a forecast for a specific location? |
| | A) | To determine whether any weather trends are detectable. |
| | B) | To determine whether any major air mass changes have occurred. |
| | C) | To determine whether the numerical weather prediction models have been accurate. |
| | D) | All of the above. |
| | E) | Past weather conditions do not matter, since it's the future we're interested in. |
|
|
10 | | Which of the following statements is false? |
| | A) | Numerical weather prediction (NWP) models typically make forecasts by solving primitive equations. |
| | B) | NWP models make forecasts from initial weather conditions. |
| | C) | Model output statistics (MOS) are always accurate. |
| | D) | A good meteorologist makes use of numerous NWP models when making a forecast, rather than just one. |
|