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abator wrote:o.k. its not one but it has to be at most 6.

For clouds only about five questions have appeared on the test at regional. It was more about the air masses associated with storms then the clouds. If you know the basic storm clouds you will be fine.

Oh ok, I was thinking that size 1 was too small.

Ok, that's what I thought. Because I thought all the cloud types would be for everyday weather, not severe storms. Got it.

Does anyone know the difference between a jet and a sprite? Or at least the definitions of both of them would be great.

http://ibis.nmt.edu/sprites/sprites.html

http://elf.gi.alaska.edu/

Those should help

starshine wrote: Do we need to know all the cloud types, or just the ones that are associated with severe weather?

I would be familiar with all cloud types just to be safe, since there are many clouds that could technically be related to storms (for example, the clouds that signal the approach of a warm/cold front).

starshine wrote:If you mean the font is as small as it can go, doesn't that mean the font size would be 1? And I'm quite sure that the font size of 1 isn't exactly readable.

Unrelated, but in eighth grade my history teacher allowed us to use index cards on tests. Well, on the first test he let us use a full card, on the second test it become half, then on the third a quarter... By the time the year was half over, we were bringing magnifying glasses too and all our other teachers asked us what they were for.

Haha, if only we could bring magnifying glasses to the event.

So all the cloud types? All right then. Oh, could someone explain how a tornado forms? I'm not sure I fully understand that concept.

Thank you for the definitions!

starshine wrote: So all the cloud types? All right then. Oh, could someone explain how a tornado forms? I'm not sure I fully understand that concept.

Basically, you have strong directional wind shear (wind direction changing rapidly with height) that occurs within a supercell thunderstorm. Wind shear causes the air near the ground to start rotating horizontally, sort of like what happens when you roll a pencil between your hands. Then the updraft of the storm knocks the whole tube of spinning air so it stands vertically, and this column of air is called a mesocyclone. The mesocyclone then starts to stretch vertically, making it spin faster, and the low pressure draws in air from around the thunderstorm. The air starts cooling and condensing, which makes the funnel cloud descend closer to the ground. Given the right conditions for all of this, a tornado could form.

I think this picture is helpful.

All right, thank you! And is ball lightning a phenomenon or an actual type of lightning?

It's supposedly an actual form of lightning, but the actual reports of it are sketchy and pretty much unconfirmed.

Out of curiosity, are you from P.J. Gelinas? I think I might've bumped into you at regionals. XD

Oh ok. So I'm guessing it won't be tested on that much.

And yes, I'm from Gelinas. You beat me in Meteorology by 5 points XD you did very well!

Haha thanks, you too! It's a shame that the team that actually got 1st (also from our school) won't be competing at states though. :/

Anyone who is stuck on what to study for Severe Storms: Look outside. I know today Kansas City had its first tornado watch of the year, which extended farther northward. It's getting to be that time of the year.