Precipitation

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Precipitation North Carolina Testing Program EOG Reading Grade 5 Sample Items Do you know where rain comes from? Read the following selection to learn more about precipitation. Then answer the questions that follow. Precipitation In Arica, Chile, the average rainfall is Types of Precipitation less than 1 millimeter per year. Many years In warm parts of the world, pass with no precipitation at all. On the precipitation is almost always rain or drizzle. other hand, the average rainfall on In colder regions, precipitation may fall as Mount Waialeale on the island of Kauai in snow or ice. Common types of precipitation Hawaii is over 12 meters per year. That’s include rain, sleet, freezing rain, hail, and more than enough to cover a three-story snow. house! As you can see, rainfall varies greatly around the world. Rain The most common kind of precipitation Water evaporates into the air from is rain. Drops of water are called rain if they every water surface on Earth and from living are at least 0.5 millimeter in diameter. things. This water eventually returns to the Precipitation made up of smaller drops of surface as precipitation. Precipitation (pree water is called mist or drizzle. Mist and sip uh TAY shun) is any form of water that drizzle usually fall from stratus clouds. falls from clouds and reaches Earth’s surface. 3 Precipitation always comes from Sleet Sometimes raindrops fall through a clouds. But not all clouds produce layer of air below 0°C, the freezing point of precipitation. For precipitation to occur, water. As they fall, the raindrops freeze into cloud droplets or ice crystals must grow heavy solid particles of ice. Ice particles smaller enough to fall through the air. One way that than 5 millimeters in diameter are called cloud droplets grow is by colliding and sleet. combining with other cloud droplets. As the droplets grow larger, they fall faster and Freezing Rain At other times raindrops collect more and more small droplets. falling through cold air near the ground do Finally, the droplets become heavy enough to not freeze in the air. Instead, the raindrops fall out of the cloud as raindrops. freeze when they touch a cold surface. This is called freezing rain. In an ice storm, a smooth, thick layer of ice builds up on every Droplets come in many sizes. Believe it or not, a raindrop has surface. The weight about a million times as much water in it as a cloud droplet. of the ice may break tree branches onto power lines, causing power failures. Freezing rain and sleet can make sidewalks and roads slippery and dangerous. Cloud Mist Drizzle Raindrop droplet droplet droplet Page 1 Published January 2004. May reproduce for instructional and educational purposes only, not for personal or financial gain. North Carolina Testing Program EOG Reading Grade 5 Sample Items Hail Round pellets of ice larger than Snow Often water vapor in a cloud is 5 millimeters in diameter are called converted directly into ice crystals called hailstones. Hail forms only inside snowflakes. Snowflakes have an endless cumulonimbus clouds during thunderstorms. number of different shapes and patterns, all A hailstone starts as an ice pellet inside a with six sides or branches. Snowflakes often cold region of a cloud. Strong updrafts in the join together into larger clumps of snow in cloud carry the hailstone up and down which the six-sided crystals are hard to see. through the cold region many times. Each time the hailstone goes through the cold region, a new layer of ice forms around the hailstone. Eventually the hailstone becomes heavy enough to fall to the ground. If you cut a hailstone in half, you can often see shells of ice, like the layers of an onion. Because hailstones can grow quite large before finally falling to the ground, hail can cause tremendous damage to crops, buildings, and vehicles. “Precipitation” from Prentice Hall Science Explorers Weather and Climate © 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Prentice Hall. Used by permission. 1. Which word best describes the habitat 2. What has to happen in order for around Arica, Chile? precipitation to occur? A desert A The cloud droplets have to be heavy enough to fall. B forest B The cloud has to be a C grassland cumulonimbus or stratus. D wetland C The cloud has to have several strong updrafts. D The temperature of the cloud has to be at least 0°C. Page 2 Published January 2004. May reproduce for instructional and educational purposes only, not for personal or financial gain. North Carolina Testing Program EOG Reading Grade 5 Sample Items 3. Which of the following determines 6. What is the purpose of comparing a whether precipitation will come as hailstone to an onion? rain or as sleet? A to show how hailstones are A the amount of wind layered B the size of the clouds B to illustrate the size of hailstones C the type of clouds C to show the weight of hailstones D the air temperature D to describe the damage caused by hail 4. What is it called when precipitation becomes icy only after touching the 7. Which of the following describes a sidewalk? snowflake? A snow A a frozen drizzle B sleet B several layers of ice C hail C a six-sided ice crystal D freezing rain D a round pellet of ice 5. What makes some hailstones larger 8. Based on the information given, which than other hailstones? of the following is the smallest? A Larger hailstones occur when the A a mist droplet air temperature is much colder. B a drizzle droplet B Larger hailstones occur when the ground temperature is much C a cloud droplet colder. D a rain droplet C Larger hailstones have moved more times through the cold region of a cloud. D Larger hailstones form in cumulonimbus clouds, but smaller hailstones do not. Page 3 Published January 2004. May reproduce for instructional and educational purposes only, not for personal or financial gain. North Carolina Testing Program EOG Reading Grade 5 Sample Items 9. What do sleet and snow have in common? A Both are made up of ice. B Both are produced by huge clouds. C Both are six-sided crystals. D Both develop from raindrops. End of Set In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Department of Public Instruction does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or military service in its policies, programs, activities, admissions or employment. Page 4 Published January 2004. May reproduce for instructional and educational purposes only, not for personal or financial gain. Answers to Grade 5 Reading Comprehension Sample Items Question Correct Objective Passage Title Number Answer Category Thinking Skill Number Precipitation 1 A Connections Analyzing 2.02 Precipitation 2 A Cognition Knowledge 2.02 Precipitation 3 D Interpretation Analyzing 2.05 Precipitation 4 D Cognition Knowledge 2.02 Precipitation 5 C Cognition Knowledge 2.02 Precipitation 6 A Critical Stance Evaluating 3.01 Precipitation 7 C Cognition Knowledge 2.02 Precipitation 8 C Cognition Knowledge 2.02 Precipitation 9 A Critical Stance Organizing 2.02 Friday, January 23, 2004 Page 1 of 1 .
Recommended publications
  • A Winter Forecasting Handbook Winter Storm Information That Is Useful to the Public
    A Winter Forecasting Handbook Winter storm information that is useful to the public: 1) The time of onset of dangerous winter weather conditions 2) The time that dangerous winter weather conditions will abate 3) The type of winter weather to be expected: a) Snow b) Sleet c) Freezing rain d) Transitions between these three 7) The intensity of the precipitation 8) The total amount of precipitation that will accumulate 9) The temperatures during the storm (particularly if they are dangerously low) 7) The winds and wind chill temperature (particularly if winds cause blizzard conditions where visibility is reduced). 8) The uncertainty in the forecast. Some problems facing meteorologists: Winter precipitation occurs on the mesoscale The type and intensity of winter precipitation varies over short distances. Forecast products are not well tailored to winter Subtle features, such as variations in the wet bulb temperature, orography, urban heat islands, warm layers aloft, dry layers, small variations in cyclone track, surface temperature, and others all can influence the severity and character of a winter storm event. FORECASTING WINTER WEATHER Important factors: 1. Forcing a) Frontal forcing (at surface and aloft) b) Jetstream forcing c) Location where forcing will occur 2. Quantitative precipitation forecasts from models 3. Thermal structure where forcing and precipitation are expected 4. Moisture distribution in region where forcing and precipitation are expected. 5. Consideration of microphysical processes Forecasting winter precipitation in 0-48 hour time range: You must have a good understanding of the current state of the Atmosphere BEFORE you try to forecast a future state! 1. Examine current data to identify positions of cyclones and anticyclones and the location and types of fronts.
    [Show full text]
  • Geology of Hawaii Reefs
    11 Geology of Hawaii Reefs Charles H. Fletcher, Chris Bochicchio, Chris L. Conger, Mary S. Engels, Eden J. Feirstein, Neil Frazer, Craig R. Glenn, Richard W. Grigg, Eric E. Grossman, Jodi N. Harney, Ebitari Isoun, Colin V. Murray-Wallace, John J. Rooney, Ken H. Rubin, Clark E. Sherman, and Sean Vitousek 11.1 Geologic Framework The eight main islands in the state: Hawaii, Maui, Kahoolawe , Lanai , Molokai , Oahu , Kauai , of the Hawaii Islands and Niihau , make up 99% of the land area of the Hawaii Archipelago. The remainder comprises 11.1.1 Introduction 124 small volcanic and carbonate islets offshore The Hawaii hot spot lies in the mantle under, or of the main islands, and to the northwest. Each just to the south of, the Big Island of Hawaii. Two main island is the top of one or more massive active subaerial volcanoes and one active submarine shield volcanoes (named after their long low pro- volcano reveal its productivity. Centrally located on file like a warriors shield) extending thousands of the Pacific Plate, the hot spot is the source of the meters to the seafloor below. Mauna Kea , on the Hawaii Island Archipelago and its northern arm, the island of Hawaii, stands 4,200 m above sea level Emperor Seamount Chain (Fig. 11.1). and 9,450 m from seafloor to summit, taller than This system of high volcanic islands and asso- any other mountain on Earth from base to peak. ciated reefs, banks, atolls, sandy shoals, and Mauna Loa , the “long” mountain, is the most seamounts spans over 30° of latitude across the massive single topographic feature on the planet.
    [Show full text]
  • Martha Warren Beckwith: the Kumulipo, 1951 the KUMULIPO
    Hawaii: the Center of the Pacific Ethnic Studies 255 Summer 2008 Instructor: Dr. Alan E. Yabui Phone: 425-564-3083 Email: [email protected] Office Hrs: 3:30 PM, Monday thru Thursday or TBA Textbooks: Beckwith, M., (1951) Kumulipo. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Also available free on the internet. See citation below. Meyer, M. A. (2003). Ho’oulu. Honolulu: “Ai Pohaku Press. Osorio, J. K. (2002). Dismembering Lahui. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Free text and translation of Kumulipo on the Internet: Martha Warren Beckwith: The Kumulipo, 1951 THE KUMULIPO. A Hawaiian Creation Chant. Translated and edited with commentary by. MARTHA WARREN BECKWITH. University of Chicago Press ... www.ling.hawaii.edu/faculty/stampe/Oral-Lit/Hawaiian/Kumulipo/kumulipo-book.html - 449k - Cached - Similar pages Hawaii Geography information may be found at http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxushi.htm . The blank outline map from this web site will be used as the Hawaii Geography Quiz map. This is a Humanities Distribution course. (May be used as either Humanities or Social Sciences if transferring to UW.) This course is designed to present Hawaii as a place where Hawaiian culture was a striving culture before the arrival of Captain James Cook at Waimea, Kauai on January 20, 1778 and the landing at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii on January 17, 1779. After the first European contact, major changes occurred in the Hawaiian culture. When the Native Hawaiians came in physical contact with Cook’s men, the Hawaiians were introduced to human diseases which they had little or not immunity for and this started a drastic decline in the native Hawaiian population.
    [Show full text]
  • NWS Climate Services May PEAC Audio Conference Call Summary 13 May, 1430 HST (14 May 2021, 0030 GMT)
    NWS Climate Services May PEAC Audio Conference Call Summary 13 May, 1430 HST (14 May 2021, 0030 GMT) April rainfall totals reported % Normal: blue above normal & red below normal. Departure from normal: blue-above & red-below (same for 3 mon %) Rainfall % Norm Normal Departure 3 mon % Inches April Inches inches FMA Airai 21.03 223 9.43 11.61 44.10 Yap 17.78 316 5.63 12.15 33.65 Chuuk 6.86 55 12.47 -5.61 36.70 Pohnpei 14.18 77 18.41 -4.23 48.92 Kosrae 18.63 106 17.51 1.12 68.11 Kwajalein 9.17 174 5.26 3.91 17.35 Majuro 12.71 135 9.42 3.29 31.60 Guam NAS 3.02 119 2.53 0.49 6.73 Saipan 2.02 77 2.63 -0.61 6.03 Pago Pago 7.14 76 9.39 -2.25 33.45 Lihue 1.52 78 1.94 -0.42 17.51 Honolulu 0.44 85 0.52 -0.08 6.19 Kahului 0.60 67 0.89 -0.29 10.94 Hilo 7.80 87 8.95 -1.15 45.92 Reports from around the Region Hawaii (Kevin Kodama) Precipitation Summaries for HI can also be found: https://www.weather.gov/hfo/hydro_summary Kauai April rainfall totals on Kauai were mostly below average. The monthly totals were mainly 40 to 70 percent of average. The U.S. Geological Sur- vey’s (USGS) rain gage on Mount Waialeale had the highest monthly total of 25.80 inches (68 percent of average) and the highest daily total of 4.06 inches on April 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Snowflake Shapes Activity
    Primary Sources in the Classroom Smithsonian Institution Archives Wilson A. “Snowflake” Bentley Institutional History Division Snowflake Shape Activity siarchives.si.edu WILSON A. BENTLEY: SNOWFLAKE SHAPE ACTIVITY Objectives: Students will learn about how snowflakes form and the types of shapes that snowflakes are composed of. They will practice observational and comparison skills. They will identify snowflake types based on their shape. Time: 45 – 65 minutes (Adjust Time As Needed) ‐ introduction, (suggested: 15­ 20 minutes) ‐ study snowflake shapes outside, (suggested: 20 minutes) – if snow is falling ‐ study snowflake shapes inside, (suggested: 10 minutes) ‐ examine snowflakes and classify them by their shapes, (suggested: 10­15 minutes) Skills: Observation, Knowledge of basic shapes, Compare and contrast Content Area: Science, Art Materials: To study real snowflakes out of doors: ‐ cardboard, 8 x 10, one for every four students ‐ sheet of black felt or velvet, 8 x 10, one for every four students ‐glue ‐ magnifying glasses Classroom project: (contained below) ‐ snowflake type chart ‐ unidentified snowflake images answer sheet (2 sheets) Grade Level: Grades 3‐6 Historical Overview: For over forty years, Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley (1865‐ 1931) photographed thousands of individual snowflakes and perfected the innovative photomicrographic technique. His photographs and publications provide valuable scientific records of snow crystals and their many types. Five hundred of his snowflake photos now reside in the Smithsonian Institution Archives, donated by Bentley in 1903 to protect against “all possibility of loss and destruction, through fire or accident.” © Jericho Historical Society 1 Primary Sources in the Classroom Smithsonian Institution Archives Wilson A. “Snowflake” Bentley Institutional History Division Snowflake Shape Activity siarchives.si.edu Wilson A.
    [Show full text]
  • KAPONO Hawaii Report 2017
    Kaua’i Action Plan to Overhaul Negative Outputs (KA PONO) By: Kacie Brandenburg, Madison Gutekunst, and Jessica Fedetz Table of Contents 1. Mission Statement………………………………………………………………………………3 2. History/Background…………………………………………………………………………….3 3. Policies and Mandates in Place…………………………………………………………………4 5. Problem 1: High Nitrogen and Phosphorus Levels….…………………………………………6 6. Goals……………………………………………………………………………………………6 7. Problem 2: Excessive Turbidity………………………………………………………………...7 8. Goals……………………………………………………………………………………………7 9. Problem 3: Bacteria and Fecal Contamination……….......…………………………………….7 10. Goals…………………………………………………………………………………………..7 11. KA PONO Summary of Goals..……………………………………………………………….9 12. References……………………………………………………………………………………10 2 Mission Statement: KA PONO’s mission is to attain EPA fishable and swimmable status for all waters on the Island of Kaua’i by reducing turbidity, total nitrogen and total phosphorus and maintaining a safe and clean environment for recreation. Historical Background: Before Hawai’i was proclaimed the fiftieth state of the United States in 1959, it was a monarchy (Lawrence, 1959). Kaua’i's first settlers are believed to be polynesians like the Marquesans, then Tahitians. Kaua’i is the only island King Kamehameha did not conquer in his quest to unite all of the Hawaiian islands, but in 1810, King Kaumualii, the King of Kaua’i, became the governor after making a peaceful resolution to unite all islands with Kamehameha. All monarchs before and after Kaumualii and Kamehameha ran their political and economic systems based on watersheds (EPAT, 1999). Each king named chiefs to rule these watershed- based political and economic districts; each chief was in charge of all of the flora, fauna, and people within that district. Districts of land, called ahupua’a, were delegated to chiefs and konohiki.
    [Show full text]
  • May, 1919. Monthly Weather Review
    MAY,1919. I. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 3 03 UNCLE SAM'S DAMPEST CORNER. By G. I(. LARRIBON,Hydraulic Engineer, United States Geologicel Survey. [Dsted: Honolulu, Hawaii, Yay 3.1910.) QyNoPsIs.-It is only in recent years that the extraordinarily heavy water-resources branch of the United States Geolovical rainfalls in portions of the Hawaiian Islands have become a metter of Survey, or by arties cooperating therewith, for the focal record, In the course of their high-level hydrometric work the engineers of the United States Geological Survev found it necessary to office of the Ifeather Bureau hrts been unable to collect measure the rainfall at a number of points at v-kious elevations up to daily records escept those furnished free of cost by co- more than 5,000 feet above sea level. operative observers who could obtain the records at a Cherrapunji, With ita annual average rainfall of 456 inches. hes been minimum expenditure of eflort. As a result nearly a.11 generally cited as the wettest plare in the world. In a recent period covering nearly 5 years, Mount Waialeale. elevation 5,oSo feet. on the the records published by the Weather Bureau are for Island of Kauai, .Hawaiian Islands. averaged 4% inches of rainfall low elevations, and as the higher levels of the Hawaiian annually. In this period of 1,789 consecutlve days the total preclpita- mountains are ractically uninhabited it has devolved on tion was 3,325 inches- daily average of 1.30 inches. the Geological urvey to establish the high-level stations Another very striking feature of tlic rainfall records in the Hawaiian 8 Islands is the great contra& in amounts in stations separated by only a needed to obtain data to be used in connection with its few miles but with considerable differences in altitude or expoelire.
    [Show full text]
  • A Field Guide to Falling Snow
    Basic Snowflake Forms (from SnowCrystals.com) Although no two snowflakes are exactly alike, snow crystal forms usually fall into several broad categories. You can find a more descriptive guide in the book – The Snowflake: Winter’s Secret Beauty. Stellar Dendrites Dendrite means "tree-like", which describes the multi-branched appearance of these snow crystals. Stellar dendrites have six symmetrical main branches and a large number of randomly placed sidebranches. They can also be large, perhaps 5mm in diameter. Although they have complex shapes, each stellar dendrite is a single crystal of ice. The molecular ordering of the water molecules is the same from one side of the crystal to the other. Sectored Plates What identifies these crystals are the numerous ice ridges that seem to divide the plate-like arms into sectors -- hence the name. Like the stellar dendrites, sectored plates are flat, thin slivers of ice that grow into in a stunning diversity of complex shapes. Hollow Columns Plate-like snow crystals get the most attention, but columnar crystals are the main constituents of many snowfalls. The columns are hexagonal, like a wooden pencil, and they often form with conical hollow features in their ends. Needles Columnar crystals can grow so long and thin that they look like ice needles. Sometimes the needles contain thin hollow regions, and sometimes the ends split into additional needle branches. Spatial Dendrites Not all snowflakes form as thin flat plates or slender columns. Spatial dendrites are made from many individual ice crystals jumbled together. Each branch is like one arm of a stellar crystal, but the different branches are oriented randomly.
    [Show full text]
  • ESSENTIALS of METEOROLOGY (7Th Ed.) GLOSSARY
    ESSENTIALS OF METEOROLOGY (7th ed.) GLOSSARY Chapter 1 Aerosols Tiny suspended solid particles (dust, smoke, etc.) or liquid droplets that enter the atmosphere from either natural or human (anthropogenic) sources, such as the burning of fossil fuels. Sulfur-containing fossil fuels, such as coal, produce sulfate aerosols. Air density The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume occupied by it. Air density is usually expressed as g/cm3 or kg/m3. Also See Density. Air pressure The pressure exerted by the mass of air above a given point, usually expressed in millibars (mb), inches of (atmospheric mercury (Hg) or in hectopascals (hPa). pressure) Atmosphere The envelope of gases that surround a planet and are held to it by the planet's gravitational attraction. The earth's atmosphere is mainly nitrogen and oxygen. Carbon dioxide (CO2) A colorless, odorless gas whose concentration is about 0.039 percent (390 ppm) in a volume of air near sea level. It is a selective absorber of infrared radiation and, consequently, it is important in the earth's atmospheric greenhouse effect. Solid CO2 is called dry ice. Climate The accumulation of daily and seasonal weather events over a long period of time. Front The transition zone between two distinct air masses. Hurricane A tropical cyclone having winds in excess of 64 knots (74 mi/hr). Ionosphere An electrified region of the upper atmosphere where fairly large concentrations of ions and free electrons exist. Lapse rate The rate at which an atmospheric variable (usually temperature) decreases with height. (See Environmental lapse rate.) Mesosphere The atmospheric layer between the stratosphere and the thermosphere.
    [Show full text]
  • International Olympic Committee, Lausanne, Switzerland
    A PROJECT OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND. WWW.OLYMPIC.ORG TEACHING VALUESVALUES AN OLYYMPICMPIC EDUCATIONEDUCATION TOOLKITTOOLKIT WWW.OLYMPIC.ORG D R O W E R O F D N A S T N E T N O C TEACHING VALUES AN OLYMPIC EDUCATION TOOLKIT A PROJECT OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The International Olympic Committee wishes to thank the following individuals for their contributions to the preparation of this toolkit: Author/Editor: Deanna L. BINDER (PhD), University of Alberta, Canada Helen BROWNLEE, IOC Commission for Culture & Olympic Education, Australia Anne CHEVALLEY, International Olympic Committee, Switzerland Charmaine CROOKS, Olympian, Canada Clement O. FASAN, University of Lagos, Nigeria Yangsheng GUO (PhD), Nagoya University of Commerce and Business, Japan Sheila HALL, Emily Carr Institute of Art, Design & Media, Canada Edward KENSINGTON, International Olympic Committee, Switzerland Ioanna MASTORA, Foundation of Olympic and Sport Education, Greece Miquel de MORAGAS, Centre d’Estudis Olympics (CEO) Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain Roland NAUL, Willibald Gebhardt Institute & University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany Khanh NGUYEN, IOC Photo Archives, Switzerland Jan PATERSON, British Olympic Foundation, United Kingdom Tommy SITHOLE, International Olympic Committee, Switzerland Margaret TALBOT, United Kingdom Association of Physical Education, United Kingdom IOC Commission for Culture & Olympic Education For Permission to use previously published or copyrighted
    [Show full text]
  • NWS Climate Services January PEAC Audio Conference Call Summary 9 January, 1430 HST (10 January 2020, 0030 GMT)
    NWS Climate Services January PEAC Audio Conference Call Summary 9 January, 1430 HST (10 January 2020, 0030 GMT) December rainfall totals reported (Sony) % Normal: blue above normal & red below normal. Departure from normal: blue-above & red-below Rainfall % Normal Normal Departure 3 mon Inches December Inches inches OND Koror 9.86 88 11.16 -1.30 35.09 Yap 9.89 116 8.51 1.38 27.73 Chuuk 19.91 177 11.25 8.66 34.72 Pohnpei 21.17 132 16.08 5.09 67.09 Kosrae 10.06 62 16.11 -6.05 34.30 Kwajalein 6.62 99 6.66 -0.04 29.67 Majuro 13.03 114 11.39 1.64 42.81 Guam NAS 1.46 29 5.11 -3.65 27.81 Saipan 3.64 95 3.85 -0.21 28.62 Pago Pago 17.93 140 12.84 5.09 35.12 Lihue 7.02 221 3.17 1.05 14.67 Honolulu 1.69 128 1.32 0.37 5.42 Kahului 2.20 83 2.66 -0.46 2.62 Hilo 11.19 109 10.24 0.95 35.27 Reports from around the Region Hawaii (Kevin) Large scale weather conditions during December 2019 included a higher than average frequency of trade winds across the main Hawaiian Islands. Normally, about half of the days in December involve trade winds blowing over the state. How- ever, in December 2019, trade winds occurred during more than 75 percent of the month. This prevalence of trade winds was due to anomalously strong high pressure systems far to the north of the state.
    [Show full text]
  • Cloud Microphysics
    Cloud microphysics Claudia Emde Meteorological Institute, LMU, Munich, Germany WS 2011/2012 Growth Precipitation Cloud modification Overview of cloud physics lecture Atmospheric thermodynamics gas laws, hydrostatic equation 1st law of thermodynamics moisture parameters adiabatic / pseudoadiabatic processes stability criteria / cloud formation Microphysics of warm clouds nucleation of water vapor by condensation growth of cloud droplets in warm clouds (condensation, fall speed of droplets, collection, coalescence) formation of rain, stochastical coalescence Microphysics of cold clouds homogeneous, heterogeneous, and contact nucleation concentration of ice particles in clouds crystal growth (from vapor phase, riming, aggregation) formation of precipitation, cloud modification Observation of cloud microphysical properties Parameterization of clouds in climate and NWP models Cloud microphysics December 15, 2011 2 / 30 Growth Precipitation Cloud modification Growth from the vapor phase in mixed-phase clouds mixed-phase cloud is dominated by super-cooled droplets air is close to saturated w.r.t. liquid water air is supersaturated w.r.t. ice Example ◦ T=-10 C, RHl ≈ 100%, RHi ≈ 110% ◦ T=-20 C, RHl ≈ 100%, RHi ≈ 121% )much greater supersaturations than in warm clouds In mixed-phase clouds, ice particles grow from vapor phase much more rapidly than droplets. Cloud microphysics December 15, 2011 3 / 30 Growth Precipitation Cloud modification Mass growth rate of an ice crystal diffusional growth of ice crystal similar to growth of droplet by condensation more complicated, mainly because ice crystals are not spherical )points of equal water vapor do not lie on a sphere centered on crystal dM = 4πCD (ρ (1) − ρ ) dt v vc Cloud microphysics December 15, 2011 4 / 30 P732951-Ch06.qxd 9/12/05 7:44 PM Page 240 240 Cloud Microphysics determined by the size and shape of the conductor.
    [Show full text]