ATSC 113 ALL EXAM MATERIALS COMBINED
FINAL PAPER 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
CORRECT ANSWERS
⩥ 5n/o. Explain the limitations of different types of satellite imagery.
Use satellite imagery to identify low pressure systems, fronts, and fair
weather. Answer: •Three satellite types:
- Visible →Black and white photo from space; cannot use at night
- Infrared →Indicate cloud tops only not cloud depth
-Water vapor
•Low-pressure center
-Visible → Clouds spiraling in a counterclockwise direction
-Infrared → Clouds spiraling in a counterclockwise direction
•Cold front
-Visible → Long band of white clouds extending from low-pressure
center, often towards the south
-Infrared → Long band of cold high cloud tops extending from low-
pressure center. Front is ahead of high clouds
•Warm front
,-Visible → Short/wide band of white clouds, often towards the east.
Much harder to see than cold front
-Infrared →Short/wide band of cold, high cloud tops extending from
low-pressure center
•Occluded front
-Visible → Band of white cloud that usually forks into warm and cold
fronts. Not always present
-Infrared → Band of cold, high cloud tops that usually forks into warm
and cold fronts. Not always present
•High pressure/clear air
-Visible → Dark greys and no moving white objects. often surrounded
by clockwise spiraling clouds
-Infrared →Dark greys and no moving objects, but do not analyze as
clear air without confirmation from visible satellite
⩥ 6a. Explain the causes and effects of cold air pooling. Answer: •When
there is high pressure with a stable air profile cold air pooling can occur.
Mostly at night but can last into the day.
•Cold air just above the surface pools
- Hazards are very cold air in valleys and valley bottoms
- Cold air drainage flows adding to wind chill
, - Valley cloud/ fog limits visibility
- Freezing fog when temp within fog are below freezing
•Plan to camp/ stay above this level
•Strengthens inversions
•Flows create katabatic winds
⩥ 6b. Describe the diurnal evolution of slope flows. Answer: •Happens
on a daily basis, the cycle of katabatic and anabatic winds
•Sun heats up air on slopes and it flows up in anabatic winds
- Can form cumulus cloud over mountain top
- Can help dissipate pools and valley fog
•Night cools air along slopes and it flows into valleys as katabatic winds
⩥ 6c. Explain what a temperature inversion is and why it is important to
mountain recreation. Answer: •When temperature increases with
elevation increase in the troposphere it is known as an inversion
- Occurs due to relative cooling of the ground
- Subsidence due to high pressure
FINAL PAPER 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
CORRECT ANSWERS
⩥ 5n/o. Explain the limitations of different types of satellite imagery.
Use satellite imagery to identify low pressure systems, fronts, and fair
weather. Answer: •Three satellite types:
- Visible →Black and white photo from space; cannot use at night
- Infrared →Indicate cloud tops only not cloud depth
-Water vapor
•Low-pressure center
-Visible → Clouds spiraling in a counterclockwise direction
-Infrared → Clouds spiraling in a counterclockwise direction
•Cold front
-Visible → Long band of white clouds extending from low-pressure
center, often towards the south
-Infrared → Long band of cold high cloud tops extending from low-
pressure center. Front is ahead of high clouds
•Warm front
,-Visible → Short/wide band of white clouds, often towards the east.
Much harder to see than cold front
-Infrared →Short/wide band of cold, high cloud tops extending from
low-pressure center
•Occluded front
-Visible → Band of white cloud that usually forks into warm and cold
fronts. Not always present
-Infrared → Band of cold, high cloud tops that usually forks into warm
and cold fronts. Not always present
•High pressure/clear air
-Visible → Dark greys and no moving white objects. often surrounded
by clockwise spiraling clouds
-Infrared →Dark greys and no moving objects, but do not analyze as
clear air without confirmation from visible satellite
⩥ 6a. Explain the causes and effects of cold air pooling. Answer: •When
there is high pressure with a stable air profile cold air pooling can occur.
Mostly at night but can last into the day.
•Cold air just above the surface pools
- Hazards are very cold air in valleys and valley bottoms
- Cold air drainage flows adding to wind chill
, - Valley cloud/ fog limits visibility
- Freezing fog when temp within fog are below freezing
•Plan to camp/ stay above this level
•Strengthens inversions
•Flows create katabatic winds
⩥ 6b. Describe the diurnal evolution of slope flows. Answer: •Happens
on a daily basis, the cycle of katabatic and anabatic winds
•Sun heats up air on slopes and it flows up in anabatic winds
- Can form cumulus cloud over mountain top
- Can help dissipate pools and valley fog
•Night cools air along slopes and it flows into valleys as katabatic winds
⩥ 6c. Explain what a temperature inversion is and why it is important to
mountain recreation. Answer: •When temperature increases with
elevation increase in the troposphere it is known as an inversion
- Occurs due to relative cooling of the ground
- Subsidence due to high pressure
