GPH 111 - Review Sheet for Midterm IV - This review sheet is supplemental to the Exam Wikis. Wikis are the most current and best review documents for exams. About 50 questions ( 100 pt. test) + 5 question bonus on climate.
Chapter 7 (all), 8 (all), and part of Ch.11 (on biomes)


AIR MASSES, FRONTS, CYCLONIC STORMS (4 air mass, 7 fronts, 8 mid-lat cyclones)
TERMS:
Air masses, source region, polar front, warm front, cold front, occluded front, stationary front, jet stream, cyclones, anticyclone, ridge, trough, convergence, divergence, Rossby waves or longwaves
 
CONCEPTS:
classification of air masses by source region; variables that are used to define an air mass; features that make up a good source region; types of air masses and the areas that those air masses influence; mid-latitude cyclones; upper level divergence/convergence and what surface conditions (pressures) are found underneath; movement of surface highs and lows; life cycle of mid-latitude cyclones; where is the lowest pressure found in a mid-latitude cyclone, frontal lifting of air including steepness of slope and associated weather conditions (gentle precipitation vs. heavy/severe weather); conditions before and after frontal passages; conditions during passage (if noted as important in class), duration, intensity and type of precipitation associated with cold and warm front passages along with where it is located with respect to the front, be able to identify the symbols used for each type of front, be able to identify a front by its cross-section and define the air mass on either side of the front.
 
THUNDERSTORMS (4), TORNADOES (7), HURRICANES (9)
TERMS:
Air mass thunderstorms, cumulus stage, mature stage, dissipating stage, Severe thunderstorm, hail, funnel cloud, wall cloud, mesocyclone, doppler radar, tornado, Fujita (now the Enhanced Fujita) scale, Saffir-Simpson scale, storm surge, eye wall, eye, spiral bands, easterly wave, tropical disturbance, tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane, watch, warning, downburst, microburst, gust front, anvil, doppler radar
 
CONCEPTS:
Stages in an air mass thunderstorm; "Ingredients" for the generation of severe thunderstorms and classification of severe thunderstorms (3 things that cause severe thunderstorm warnings to be issued); difference between tornado and funnel cloud; best time during the day and geographic locations (over the year) of tornado occurrence; doppler radar works in two modes: what are they and what does the mesocyclone look like on radar; progression from tropical disturbance to hurricane; locations of hurricane development; conditions that cause hurricanes to strengthen, hurricane structure and associated features, path of hurricane motion; definition of hurricane; what is it about the storm that causes the most destruction; what conditions cause hurricanes to weaken, hurricane season; difference between mid-latitude cyclone and a hurricane
 
CLIMATE CLASSIFICATION AND REGIONS OF THE WORLD (17 Questions)
TERMS:
Köppen system, climograph, tropical savanna, tropical rainforest, tropical monsoon, mediterranean, humid subtropical, marine, humid continental, subarctic, tundra, ice cap, humid subtropical, desert, steppe, etc. see lecture notes / supplementary handout
 
CONCEPTS:

generally how climates are classified according to Köppen system (variables used, relationship to plants, etc). Broad categories of A-E and H climates and what the letters mean, meaning of 2nd letters. Putting the first two letters together creates the climate names: know these (for example: Af = tropical rainforest). Know what the basic temperature and precipitation characteristics are for each climate, their general location in North America along with the vegetation types associated with these climates. Additionally, know the major climate controls that create the various climate types. Conditions that lead to low precipitation. Which climate has the smallest annual temperature range? What about the largest?

Know how to interpret a climograph and tell me the hemisphere the station is located in, if it is marine or continental, it's latitude, and Köppen's letters for the climograph. Know the temperature cut-off for the difference between the ET and EF climates.