HIGH AND LOW

PRESSURE
SYSTEM

mu
 ANTI- CYCLONE
CYCLONE

HIGH & LOW PRESSURE

 HIGH PRESSURE
IS A PRESSURE SURROUNDED BY
LOW PRESSURE.
1012
1018
1024
1030
H
H
 LOW PRESSURE
IS A PRESSURE SURROUNDED BY
HIGH PRESSURE.
1004
1000
996

L 990
H
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT OF
LOW PRESSURE:
PRESSURE
1. TROPICAL DISTURBANCE IS A
DISCRETE SYSTEM OF APPARENTLY
ORGANIZED CONVECTION. NO
STRONG WINDS AND NO CLOSED
ISOBARS. ALSO KNOWN AS
EASTERLY WAVES
 2. TROPICAL DEPRESSION HAS ONE
OR MORE CLOSED ISOBARS AND
SOME ROTARY CIRCULATION AT THE
SURFACE. HIGHEST SUSTAINED
SURFACE WIND SPEED IS 33 KNOTS.
 3. TROPICAL STORM HAS CLOSED
ISOBARS AND DISTINCT ROTARY
CIRCULATION.HIGHEST SUSTAINED
SURFACE WIND SPEED 34 63
KNOTS.
 4. HURRICANE OR TYPHOON HAS
VERY CLOSED ISOBARS. A STRONG
AND VERY PRONOUNCED ROTARY
CIRCULATION. SUSTAINED SURFACE
WIND SPEED IS 64 KNOTS AND
HIGHER.
HIGHER
5. OCCLUDED CYCLONE FINAL
STAGE
 PRECURSORY SIGN OF LOW
PRESSURE:
PRESSURE
1. A LONG LOW SWELL IS SOMETIMES
EVIDENT, PROCEEDING FROM THE
APPROXIMATE BEARING OF THE
CENTER OF THE STORM.
2. CIRRUS CLOUDS APPEARING TO
DIVERGE FROM A POINT ON THE
HORIZON MAY INDICATE THE
DIRECTION OF A TROPICAL STORM.
 3. AN APPRECIABLE CHANGE IN THE
DIRECTION AND STRENGTH OF THE
WIND.
4. CORRECTED BAROMETRIC READING
IS 5 mb. OR MORE BELOW THE NORMAL.

NORMAL BAROMETER READING:

READING
1013.25 mb.
1013.26 mb. 29.92 in. Hg.
760 mm Hg. 14.7 PSI
 BUYS BALLOT LAW
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE FACE THE
WIND THE LOW PRESSURE AREA IS
TOWARDS TO THE RIGHT AND
SLIGHTLY BEHIND. THE HIGH
PRESSURE AREA IS TOWARDS TO THE
LEFT AND SLIGHTLY INFRONT.
HIGH

WIND

LOW
 SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE FACE THE
WIND THE LOW PRESSURE AREA IS
TOWARDS TO THE LEFT AND
SLIGHTLY BEHIND. THE HIGH
PRESSURE AREA IS TOWARDS TO THE
RIGHT AND SLGHTLY INFRONT.

LOW

WIN
D
HIGH
mu
 FORCE 0: CALM
MEAN WIND SPEED: LESS THAN 1 KNOT

Sea is like a mirror.

 FORCE 1: LIGHT AIR
MEAN WIND SPEED: 1 - 3 KNOTS

Ripples with the appearance of scales are formed,

but without foam crests.
 FORCE 2: LIGHT BREEZE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 4 - 6 KNOTS

Small wavelets, still short but more pronounced;

crests have glassy appearance and do not break.
 FORCE 3:GENTLE BREEZE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 7 - 10 KNOTS

Large wavelets; crests begin to break; foam of

glassy appearance; perhaps scattered white horses.
 FORCE 4: MODERATE BREEZE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 11 - 16 KNOTS

Small waves, becoming longer; fairly frequent

white horses.
 FORCE 5: FRESH BREEZE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 17 - 21 KNOTS

Moderate waves, taking a more pronounced long form;

many white horses are formed (chance of some spray).
 FORCE 6: STRONG BREEZE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 22 - 27 KNOTS

Large waves begin to form; the white foam crests are

more extensive everywhere (probably some spray).
 FORCE 7: NEAR GALE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 28 - 33 KNOTS

The sea heaps up and white foam from breaking waves

begins to be blown in streaks along the direction of
the wind.
 FORCE 8: GALE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 34 - 40 KNOTS

Moderately high waves of greater length; edges of

the crests begin to break into spindrift; foam is blown in
well-marked streaks along the direction of the wind.
 FORCE 9: STRONG GALE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 41 - 47 KNOTS

High waves; dense streaks of foam along the direction

of the wind; crests of waves begin to topple, tumble
and roll over; spray may affect visibility.
 FORCE 10: STORM
MEAN WIND SPEED: 48 - 55 KNOTS

Very high waves with long overhanging crests; foam in great patches
is blown in dense white streaks along the direction of the wind;
the surface of the sea takes a white appearance; the tumbling of
the sea becomes heavy and shocklike; visibility affected.
 FORCE 11: VIOLENT STORM
MEAN WIND SPEED:56 - 63 KNOTS

Exceptionally high waves (small and medium sized ships

might be lost to view behind the waves); sea completely covered
with long white patches of foam lying along the direction of the
wind; everywhere the edges of the wave crests are blown into
froth; visibility affected.
 FORCE 12: HURRICANE
MEAN WIND SPEED: 64 KNOTS AND OVER

The air is filled with foam and spray; sea completely

white with driving spray; visibility very seriously affected.
 FORCE 12:
Saffir/Simpson Scale - categories and damage.
Category 1: 64 - 83 knots
Damage: minimal.

Category 2 : 84 - 96 knots
Damage: moderate.

Category 3 : 97 - 113 knots

Damage: extensive.

Category 4 : 114 - 135 knots

Damage: extreme.

Category 5 : >136 knots

Damage: catastrophic. HURRICANE ANDREW.
 PATH OF STORM
S .
(N.HEMISPHERE) K
T CLOCKWISE
30 VEERING
SPEED OF WIND AT WIND
20
RECURVATURE
DSC
H L

10
NSC

12
K
COUNTER

TS
SPEED OF WIND

.
CLOCKWISE
BACKING WIND BEFORE
RECURVATURE
 1. The atmosphere in the vicinity of a
high pressure area is called a/an:
A. Anticyclone
B. Cold front
C. Occluded front
D. Cyclone
 2. Anticyclones are usually characterized
by:
A. Dry, fair weather
B. High winds and cloudiness
C. Gustiness and continuous precipitation
D. Overcast skies
 3. Good weather is usually associated
with region of:
A. Low barometric pressure
B. High barometric pressure
C. Falling barometric pressure
D. Pumping barometric pressure
 4. Most high pressure areas in the U.S.
are accompanied by:
A. Precipitation
B. Clear, cool weather
C. Humid, sticky weather
D. Cool fogs
 5. The wind circulation around high
pressure center in the N. Hemisphere is:
A. Counterclockwise and moving towards the
high
B. Counterclockwise and moving outward from
the high
C. Clockwise and moving towards the high
D. Clockwise and moving outward from high
 6. The flow of air around an anticyclone
in the S. Hemisphere is:
A. Clockwise and outward
B. Counterclockwise and outward
C. Clockwise and inward
D. Counterclockwise and inward
 7. The atmosphere in the vicinity of a low
pressure area is called a/an:
A. Cyclone
B. Anticyclone
C. Cold front
D. Occluded front
 8. Bad weather is usually associated
with regions of:
A. Low barometric pressure
B. High barometric pressure
C. Steady barometric pressure
D. Changing barometric pressure
 9. When a low pressure area is
approaching, the weather generally:
A. Improves
B. Gets worse
C. Remains the same
D. Is unpredictable
 10. In the N. Hemisphere, an area of
counterclockwise wind circulation
surrounded by higher pressure is a:
A. Low
B. High
C. Warm front
D. Cold front
 11. The circulation around a low
pressure center in the N. Hemisphere is:
A. Counterclockwise
B. Variable
C. Clockwise
D. Anticyclone
 12. The wind direction around a low
pressure area in the N. Hemisphere is:
A. Clockwise and inwards
B. Counterclockwise and inward
C. Clockwise and outward
D. Counterclockwise and outward
 13. A cyclone in its final stage of
development is called a/an:
A. Tornado
B. Anticyclone
C. Occluded cyclone
D. Polar cyclone
 14. When a hurricane passes into high
latitudes over colder water and the
source of heat is disrupted, the storms
assumes the characteristics of a/an:
A. High pressure area
B. Extratropical cyclone
C. Tropical storm
D. Easterly wave
 15. Cyclones tend to move:
A. Perpendicular to the isobars in their
warm
sectors
B. Parallel to the isobars in their warm
sectors
C. Parallel to the line of the cold front
D. Perpendicular to the line of the cold front
 16. Cyclones that have warm sectors
usually move:
A. Westerly
B. Parallel to the isobars in the warm
sectors
C. Toward the nearest high pressure area
D. Faster than the accompanying cold
front
 17. Severe tropical cyclones (hurricanes,
typhoons) occur in all warm-water
oceans except the:
A. Indian Ocean
B. N. Pacific Ocean
C. S. Pacific Ocean
D. S. Atlantic Ocean
 18. Tropical cyclones do not form
within 5 of the Equator because:
A. There are no fronts in the area
B. It is too humid
C. It is too hot
D. Of negligible coriolis force
 19. Tropical cyclones normally form
within which of the following belts of
Latitude?
A. 0 to 15
B. 15 to 30
C. 30 to 45
D. 45 to 60
 20. Tropical cyclones are classified by
form and intensity. Which of the four
mentioned disturbances does not have
closed isobars?
A. Hurricane
B. Tropical disturbance
C. Tropical depression
D. Cyclone
 21. Which condition would not indicate
the approach of a tropical storm?
A. Long, high swells
B. Cirrus clouds
C. Halos about the sun or moon
D. Decrease in wind velocity
 22. An approximate idea of the distance
of the storm center can be gained by
noting the increasing hourly rate of fall
of the barometer. If the rate of fall were
0.08 to 0.12 inches per hour,
approximately how far would you be
from the storm center?
A. 50 to 80 miles 0.12 - 0.15 inches
B. 80 to 100 miles 0.08 0.12 inches
C. 100 to 150 miles 0.06 0.08 inches
D. 150 to 250 miles 0.02 0.06 inches
 23. In the tropics, which of the following
indicates the arrival of hurricane at your
position within 24 to 36 hours?
A. The normal swell becoming lower and from a
steady direction
B. Long bands of nimbostratus clouds radiating
from a point over the horizon
C. The barometer drops 2 millibars between
1000H and 1600H
D. Unusually good weather with above average
pressure followed by a slow fall of 4 millibars
in six hours
 24. Which of the following conditions
exists in the eye of a hurricane?
A. Wind rapidly changing in direction
B. A temperature much lower outside the
eye
C. Towering cumulonimbus clouds
D. An extremely low barometric pressure
 25. Which of the following indicates that a
tropical cyclone can be expected at your
position within 24 to 48 hours?
A. A diurnal inequality of 6 millibars in the
barometric reading.
B. A sudden wind shift from southwest to
northwest followed by steadily increasing
winds.
C. The normal swell pattern becoming confused
with the length increasing.
D. An overcast sky with steadily increasing rain
from nimbostratus clouds.
 26. The usual sequence of directions in
which a tropical cyclone moves in the
S. Hemisphere is:
A. Northwest, west and south
B. Southwest, south and southeast
C. North, northwest and east
D. West, northwest and north
 27. A hurricane moving northeast out of
the Gulf passes west of your position.
You could expect all of the following
except:
A. Higher than normal tides
B. High winds
C. Winds veering from south through west
to northwest
D. Light showers
 28. Early indications of the approach of
a hurricane may be all of the following
except:
A. Short confused swells
B. Gradually increasing white clouds
(Mares Tails)
C. Pumping barometer
D. Continuous fine mist-like rain
 29. In the relatively calm area near the
hurricane center, the seas are:
A. Moderate but easily navigated
B. Calm
C. Mountainous and confused
D. Mountainous but fairly regular as far as
direction is concerned
 30. If your weather bulletin shows the
center of a low pressure area to be 100
miles due east of your position, what
winds can you expect?
A. East to northeast
B. East to southeast
C. North to northwest
D. South to southeast
 31. According to Buys Ballots law when
an observer in the N. Hemisphere
experiences a northwest wind, the center
of the low pressure is located to the:
A. Northeast
B. West, southwest
C. Northwest
D. South, southeast
 32. You are steaming west in the N.
Atlantic in an extratropical cyclonic
storm, and the wind is dead ahead.
According to the Buys Ballot, the
center of low pressure lies:
A. To the north of you
B. To the south of you
C. Ahead of you
D. Astern of you
 33. According to Buy Ballots law, when
an observer in the N. hemisphere
experience a northeast wind, the center of
low pressure is located to the:
A. Northeast
B. West-southwest
C. Northwest
D. South-southeast
 34. If an observer in the N. Hemisphere
faces the surface wind, the center of
low pressure is:
A. Toward his left, slightly behind him
B. Toward his right, slightly behind him
C. Toward his left, slightly in front of him
D. Toward his right, slightly in front of him
 35. When facing into the wind in the N.
hemisphere, the center of low pressure
lies:
A. Directly in front of you
B. Directly behind you
C. To your left and behind you
D. To your right and behind you
 36. You are steaming eastward in the N.
Atlantic in an extratropical cyclonic
storm and the wind is dead ahead.
According to the law of Buys Ballot, the
center of the low pressure lies:
A. Ahead of you
B. Astern of you
C. To the north
D. To the south
 37. While enroute from Puerto Rico to
New York, a hurricane makes up and is
approaching. If the wind veers steadily,
this indicates that your vessels is:
A. In the dangerous semicircle
B. In the navigable semicircle
C. Directly in the path of the storm
D. In the storm center
 38. You are attempting to locate your
position with reference to a hurricane
center in the N. Hemisphere. If the wind
direction remains steady, but with
diminishing velocity, you are most
likely:
A. In the right semicircle
B. In the left semicircle
C. On the storm track behind center
D. On the storm track ahead of the center
 39. If it is impossible for a ship to avoid
tropical cyclone at sea in the N.
Hemisphere, the most favorable place for
the ship to be in when the storm passes
is:
A. The dangerous semicircle
B. The eye (center) of the storm
C. That half of the storm lying to the right of
the storms path
D. That half of the storm lying to the left of
the storms path.
 40. In a tropical cyclone in the N.
Hemisphere, a vessel hove to with the
wind shifting counterclockwise would
be:
A. In the navigable semicircle
B. In the dangerous semicircle
C. Directly in the approach path of the
center
D. Ahead of the storm
 41. In a tropical cyclone in the S.
Hemisphere a vessel hove to with the
wind shifting clockwise would be:
A. Ahead of the storm center
B. In the dangerous semicircle
C. Directly behind the storm center
D. In the navigable semicircle
 42. In the N. Hemisphere, your vessel is
believed to be in the direct path of a
hurricane, and plenty of sea room available.
The best course of action is to bring the wind
on the:
A. Starboard bow, note course and head
in that direction
B. Starboard quarter, note course and
head in that direction
C. Port quarter, note course and head in
that direction
D. Port bow, note course and head in that
direction
 43. You have determined that you are in the
right semicircle of a tropical cyclone in the
N. Hemisphere. What action should you take
to avoid the storm?
A. Place the wind on the starboard quarter and
hold that course
B. Place the wind on the port quarter and hold
that course
C. Place the wind on the port bow and hold that
course
D. Place the wind on the starboard bow and
hold that course
 44. In the N. Hemisphere you are
caught in the dangerous semicircle
with plenty of sea room available. The
best course of action is to bring wind
on the:
A. Starboard bow and make as much
headway as possible
B. Starboard quarter and make as much
headway as possible
C. Port quarter and make as much
headways possible
D. Port bow and make as much headway
as possible
 45. In the S. Hemisphere if you are caught in
the left semicircle of a tropical storm you
should bring the wind:
A. On the port quarter, hold course and make
as much way as possible
B. 2 points on the port quarter and make as
much way as possible
C. On the port bow, hold course and make as
much way as possible
D. Dead ahead and heave to
 46. What is/are the predominant feature
(s) of the dangerous semicircle of a
hurricane?
A. Higher winds
B. Winds will carry the vessel directly into
the path of the hurricane
C. Both a and b
D. Neither a nor b
 47. Tropical cyclones are dangerous to
navigate because they:
A. Cover an entire ocean
B. Have large amount of energy in a
relatively small area
C. Both a and b
D. Neither a nor b
 48. In the N. Hemisphere, tropical
cyclones are most prominent in the
month of:
A. January
B. March
C. May
D. September
 49. With a tropical cyclone at 300 to 600
miles distance:
A. Cirrus clouds converge in the direction
from which the storm is approaching
B. Cumulus clouds have greater vertical
development
C. Stratus clouds cover the sky
D. Altostratus clouds cover the sky
 50. The bar of a tropical cyclone is
characterized by:
A. Cumulonimbus clouds
B. Clear skies
C. Calm winds
D. Good visibility
 51. The inner cloud bands of a
hurricane, when viewed from a distance,
form a mass of dense, black
cumulonimbus clouds called:
A. Eye of the storm
B. Bar of the storm
C. Front
D. Funnel
 52. In low latitudes the low(s) of the
diurnal variation of pressure occur(s)
at:
A. 1000 and 2200
B. Noon
C. 0400 and 1600
D. Noon and midnight
 53. Isobars on a synoptic chart are
useful in predicting:
A. Dew point
B. Temperature
C. Relative humidity
D. Wind velocity
 54. A cyclone in its final stage of
development is called a/an:
A. Occluded cyclone
B. Tornado
C. Anticyclone
D. Polar cyclone
 55. The largest waves or swells created
by a typhoon will be located:
A. Directly behind the storm center
B. Behind and to the left of storm center
C. Forward and to the right of its course
D. In the southeast quadrant of the storm
 56. Low pressure disturbances, which
travel along the intertropical
convergence zone, are called:
A. Permanent waves
B. Tidal waves
C. Tropical waves
D. Tropical storms
 57. What kind of pressure systems travel in
easterly waves?
A. High pressure
B. Low pressure
C. Subsurface pressure
D. Terrastic pressure
 58. What kind of weather would you
expect to accompany the passage of a
tropical wave?
A. Heavy rain and cloudiness
B. Good weather
C. A tropical storm
D. Dense fog
 59. A tropical wave is usually preceded
by:
A. Tropical storms
B. Good weather
C. Heavy rain and cloudiness
D. Heavy seas
 60. A tropical wave is located 200 miles
due west of your position, which is
north of the equator. Where will the
wave be in 24 hours?
A. Farther away to the west
B. Farther away to the east
C. In the same place
D. Closer and to the west
 61. You are in the Northern Hemisphere
and a tropical wave is located 200 miles
east of your position. Where will the wave
be located 12 hours later?
A. Farther away to the east
B. In the same position
C. Nearby to the east
D. Farther away to the west
 62. What type of cloud formations would
you expect to see to the west of an
approaching tropical wave?
A. Cumulus clouds lined up in rows
extending in a northeast to southwest
direction
B. High altostratus clouds in the morning
hours
C. Cirrostratus clouds lined up in rows
extending in a northeast to southwest
direction
D. Cirrostratus clouds lined up in rows
extending in a north to south direction
 63. Re-curvature of a hurricanes track
usually results in the forward speed:
A. Increasing
B. Decreasing
C. Remains the same
D. Varying during the day
 64. What is the average speed of
movement of a hurricane prior to re-
curvature?
A. 4 to 6 knots
B. 6 to 8 knots
C. 10 to 12 knots
D. 15 to 20 knots
 65. What is the average speed of
movement of a hurricane following the re-
curvature of its track?
A. 5 to 10 knots
B. 20 to 30 knots
C. 40 to 50 knots
D. Over 60 knots
 66. What level of development of a
tropical cyclone has a hundred mile
radius of circulation, gale force wind,
less than 990 millibars of pressure and
vertically formed cumulonimbus
clouds?
A. A tropical disturbance
B. A tropical depression
C. A tropical storm
D. A typhoon
 67. The edge of a hurricane has
overtaken your vessel in the Gulf of
Mexico, and the northwest wind of a few
hours ago has shifted to the west. This
is an indication that you are located in
the:
A. Navigable semicircle
B. Dangerous semicircle
C. Low pressure area
D. Eye of the storm
 68. The dense black cumulonimbus
clouds surrounding the eye of a
hurricane are called:
A. Spiral rain bands
B. Cloud walls
C. Cyclonic spirals
D. Funnel clouds