Meteorology Flashcards
6 cards from real ATPL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Meteorology flashcards as text
Wind shear is defined as:
Answer: A rapid change in wind speed or direction over a short distance
Wind shear is a change in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere, which can be horizontal or vertical.
Thunderstorms are most likely to form in which type of atmospheric condition?
Answer: Unstable air with high moisture and a lifting mechanism
Thunderstorms require three ingredients: atmospheric instability, sufficient moisture, and a lifting mechanism to trigger convection.
Which statement best describes the tropopause?
Answer: The boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere where temperature stops decreasing
The tropopause is the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere, characterized by an abrupt end to the normal temperature lapse rate — temperature remains constant or begins to rise above it.
A TAF forecast covers what standard period in the US?
Answer: 24 or 30 hours
Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs) in the US are issued four times daily and cover either 24 or 30 hours, depending on the airport category.
Supercooled large droplets (SLD) icing conditions are especially hazardous because:
Answer: They can accrete ice beyond the protected surfaces of the aircraft
SLD icing is dangerous because the large droplet size allows ice to accumulate on unprotected surfaces aft of anti-ice systems, degrading aerodynamics beyond the design envelope.
An area of high pressure (anticyclone) in the Northern Hemisphere has winds that circulate:
Answer: Clockwise and outward
In the Northern Hemisphere, due to the Coriolis effect, winds around a high-pressure system rotate clockwise and spiral outward from the center.