Weather Interpretation and Forecasting Flashcards
6 cards from real OUPV practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Weather Interpretation and Forecasting flashcards as text
What is the primary cause of sea fog in coastal areas?
Answer: Warm, moist air flowing over colder ocean water
Sea fog (advection fog) forms when warm, moist air moves over colder ocean water, cooling the air to its dew point.
How can you estimate the distance of an approaching thunderstorm?
Answer: Count the seconds between lightning flash and thunder, divide by 5 for approximate miles
Sound travels approximately one mile in 5 seconds. Count the seconds between lightning and thunder, then divide by 5.
What is Buys Ballots Law and how is it useful to mariners?
Answer: Standing with your back to the wind, low pressure is to your left in the Northern Hemisphere
Buys Ballots Law states that in the Northern Hemisphere, if you stand with the wind at your back, the low-pressure center is to your left.
What is the typical progression of cloud types as a warm front approaches?
Answer: Cirrus to cirrostratus to altostratus to nimbostratus, with lowering ceilings and eventual rain
A warm front shows a predictable progression: high cirrus first, then thickening to cirrostratus, altostratus, and finally nimbostratus with steady rain.
What does a rapidly rising barometer after a period of low pressure indicate?
Answer: Clearing conditions with potentially strong and gusty winds
A rapidly rising barometer after low pressure indicates clearing weather, but the strong pressure gradient can produce gusty winds.
What wave characteristics should an OUPV operator consider when deciding whether to proceed?
Answer: Wave height, period, direction, and whether seas are building or subsiding
Safe voyage planning requires evaluating wave height, period, direction relative to course, and the trend.