Question

the weather forecast for a city is based on an incoming cold air mass. the forecast called for a 10 degree temperature drop, cloud development, and rain. the next day the temperature dropped by 7 degrees, few clouds formed, and no rain fell. why was the forecast not more accurate? choose two reasons.
a. the tools used to collect weather data are not reliable.
b. air masses move in predictable, but not exact, patterns.
c. the interaction of air masses depends on many variables.
d. cold air masses are less predictable than warm air masses.
e. moving air masses are not responsible for changes to the weather.

Explanation:

• Option B: Air masses have general movement patterns (like from high - pressure to low - pressure areas), but due to factors such as terrain, other air masses, and local conditions, their movement isn't exact. This makes it hard to predict the exact impact on temperature and precipitation, so forecasts can be off.
• Option C: The interaction of air masses involves variables like humidity, wind speed, the presence of other air masses, and local geography. With so many variables, it's difficult to account for all of them precisely, leading to less accurate forecasts.

• Option A is incorrect because modern weather - data collection tools (like satellites, weather stations) are generally reliable. Option D is incorrect as there's no inherent difference in predictability between cold and warm air masses based on temperature alone; both are subject to the same types of variable interactions. Option E is incorrect because moving air masses are a major cause of weather changes (like bringing in cold or warm air, moisture for precipitation).

Answer:

B. Air masses move in predictable, but not exact, patterns.
C. The interaction of air masses depends on many variables.