GEOGRAPHY 220: METEOROLOGY

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHAPTERS  6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

1) Atmospheric Motions

   a) Newton's 1st and 2nd laws of motion
   b) Forces important to atmospheric motion
         i) pressure gradient force (pressure gradient, isobar spacing)
        ii) Coriolis Force (basic characteristics)
       iii) friction (friction only important near earth's surface)
   c) Geostrophic wind (balance between PGF and Coriolis forces; 
         an upper-level wind)
   d) Surface winds (balance between PGF, Coriolis and friction forces)
   e) Horizontal winds and the vertical movement of air (convergence
         and divergence; hydrostatic balance)
   f) Jet streams (polar front and sub-tropical)


2) Mid-Latitude Cyclones, Air Masses, and Fronts

   a) What is an air mass and what type of region do they come from (source regions)?
   b) Air mass classification (mP, mT, cP, cT); which air masses are dominant in
         the U.S. during different seasons?
   c) Fronts: stationary, cold, warm, occluded; what are their characteristics and 
         the weather associated with them?
   d) Who was Bjerknes and what are mid-latitude cyclones?
   e) Cyclone characteristics (winds, clouds, precipitation, and air masses)


3) Severe Weather

   a) Basic distribution and characteristics of thunderstorms, lightning, hail, 
      flash flooding and tornadoes
   b) Hurricanes (distribution, characteristics, damage)

**   Also remember that you are responsible for problems dealing with the saturation
     specific humidity curve and station models. In addition, several questions 
     associated with map interpretation are likely.

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