In the Northern Hemisphere, what type of...

🔍 Key Concepts

• Tropical waves in the Northern Hemisphere generally move from east to west and have characteristic wind shifts around them • The trade winds and typical low-level wind flow around a tropical wave influence how cloud streets line up • Think about how wind direction and cloud bands are oriented on the west (back) side versus the east (front) side of the wave

💭 Think About

• First, picture the general wind flow around a tropical wave in the Northern Hemisphere. How is the wind direction different to the east and to the west of the wave axis? • Cloud rows (cloud streets) tend to align roughly parallel to the low‑level wind direction. If the trade wind is blowing from the northeast, in which direction would cloud rows line up on a weather map? • Compare which options describe high, uniform cloud layers versus low-level cumulus streets associated with trade-wind flow behind a tropical disturbance.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which answer choices describe low-level cumulus clouds versus high, uniform cloud decks like cirrostratus or altostratus • Check which orientation (north–south vs northeast–southwest) best matches the usual northeast trade wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere tropics • Ask: on the west side (behind) an approaching tropical wave, are you more likely to see fair‑weather trade‑wind cumulus or a solid shield of high clouds? This helps eliminate at least two choices.

In the Northern Hemisphere, what type of cloud formations would you expect to see to the west of an approaching tropical wave?

Cirrostratus clouds lined up in rows extending in a north to south direction

High altostratus clouds in the morning hours

Cumulus clouds lined up in rows extending in a northeast to southwest direction

Cirrostratus clouds lined up in rows extending in a northeast to southwest direction

🔍 Key Concepts

💭 Think About

✅ Before You Answer