Study for the METRO (Meteorology) – VT-10 Test. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam today!

Multiple Choice

On weather maps, which feature is an elongated area of relatively higher pressure (or higher heights in the upper air)?

A ridge is the term for an elongated area of relatively higher pressure on surface maps, or higher geopotential heights in the upper atmosphere. It appears as a long, crest-like feature that stretches across the map. Beneath a ridge, air tends to sink and warm, leading to more stable, clear weather and higher heights aloft. This is the opposite of a trough, which is an elongated area of lower pressure or lower heights and is usually associated with more unsettled weather. An isobar is simply a line of equal pressure (not an area), and a front is a boundary between contrasting air masses—neither describes an elongated high-pressure region.

A ridge is the term for an elongated area of relatively higher pressure on surface maps, or higher geopotential heights in the upper atmosphere. It appears as a long, crest-like feature that stretches across the map. Beneath a ridge, air tends to sink and warm, leading to more stable, clear weather and higher heights aloft. This is the opposite of a trough, which is an elongated area of lower pressure or lower heights and is usually associated with more unsettled weather. An isobar is simply a line of equal pressure (not an area), and a front is a boundary between contrasting air masses—neither describes an elongated high-pressure region.