Explain how downdrafts create the strong precipitation within air mass thunderstorms, yet also cause the storm to die out

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: During the mature stage of an air mass thunderstorm, as the falling rain or hail drags air toward the surface downdrafts form in the areas of most intense precipitation. As more and more of the cloud yields heavy precipitation, downdrafts occupy an increasing portion of the cloud base. When they occupy the entire base, the supply of additional water vapor is cut off and the storm begins to dissipate.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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On this graph of discharge versus season for a river in the Rocky Mountains, why is the highest runoff likely to be in the spring?



A) Winter snow melts in the spring.
B) The Rocky Mountains have many tornadoes during the spring.
C) The Rocky Mountains experience hurricanes in the spring.
D) All of these are correct.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Grams per cubic meter are the measurement units used to describe ________

A) vapor pressure B) relative humidity C) saturation D) evapotranspiration E) absolute humidity

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

What organism is likely to be found in siliceous ooze?

A) Foraminifera B) Coccolithophore C) Radiolarian D) Pteropod

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

How long is it estimated to take the ocean's volume of water to circulate through the oceanic crust at spreading centers?

A) 1 million years B) 10 million years C) 100 million years D) None of these choices

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences