Question

The greatest precipitation amounts are shown as several white specks within purple blobs in Washington, Oregon, and northern California. These shadings of the heaviest precipitation ________ generally occur where precipitation had been indicated by radar echoes in Figure 1 and bright white cloud tops of Figure 2. While the surface map is a single time, the conditions depicted in Figure 3 were representative of the several days where multiple storm systems passed across the same area.

A. Typically
B. Usually
C. Tend to
D. May

Answer 1

The heaviest precipitation marks 'tend to' align with radar and satellite data. Geographic factors and changing atmospheric conditions contribute to varied intensity and distribution of precipitation. Meteorological tools help in understanding and predicting these events.

Step-by-step explanation:

The shadings of the heaviest precipitation tend to generally occur where precipitation had been indicated by radar echoes in Figure 1 and bright white cloud tops of Figure 2. While the surface map is a single time point, the conditions depicted were representative of the several days where multiple storm systems passed across the same area.

Changes in precipitation are influenced by factors such as atmospheric water vapor content, evaporation rates, wind patterns, and geographical features like mountain ranges. The intensity and distribution of precipitation events can vary considerably due to these influences. For the areas mentioned—Washington, Oregon, and northern California—proximity to the ocean and mountainous terrain significantly contribute to the observed precipitation patterns. Meteorological data like radar echoes and cloud tops are useful in predicting these patterns.