Ship Driver Weather and Meteorology 2

Question 1

What is the primary cause of radiation fog commonly encountered by mariners in coastal areas?

Accepted Answer

Nighttime cooling of land causing moist air near the surface to reach its dew point

Answer

Radiation fog forms when land cools rapidly at night through radiative heat loss, chilling the moist air near the surface below its dew point, which can drift over nearby coastal waters.

Question 2

What is the minimum sustained wind speed that classifies a tropical cyclone as a 'tropical storm' in the Atlantic basin?

Accepted Answer

34 knots

Answer

A tropical cyclone is classified as a tropical storm when its maximum sustained winds reach 34 knots (39 mph); below that it is a tropical depression.

Question 3

What is a squall, and why should mariners be concerned about one?

Accepted Answer

A sudden, brief but intense burst of wind often accompanied by rain or hail

Answer

A squall is a sudden, sharp increase in wind speed lasting minutes, often accompanied by precipitation, and can cause dangerous sea conditions with little warning.

Question 4

What is the eye of a hurricane characterized by?

Accepted Answer

Calm or light winds, relatively clear skies, and warm temperatures

Answer

The eye of a hurricane is a relatively calm, clear area at the center of the storm with light winds and even brief sunshine, surrounded by the intense eyewall.

Question 5

What does the Coriolis effect cause winds to do in the Southern Hemisphere?

Accepted Answer

Deflect to the left of their direction of motion

Answer

In the Southern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect deflects moving air to the left, causing low-pressure systems to rotate clockwise (opposite to the Northern Hemisphere).

Ship Driver Practice Test

Ship Driver Practice Test

Ship Driver Weather and Meteorology 2