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Welcome to the Spotter Certification Test
Today's date is: 24 November 2009

Test instructions - Read all the 20 questions and click on the answers. As soon as you answer all the 20 questions, click on the "Finish Your Test" button.

Question 1:
Severe thunderstorms contain which of the following threats?

A. Damaging winds
B. Large damaging hail
C. The possibility of tornadoes
D. Heavy rain and flash floods
E. All of the above

Question 2:
Never drive into flooded roadways:

A. True
B. False

Question 3:
The National Weather Service needs weather spotters for all of the following reasons except:

A. To help fill in the gaps between the data sources (observations, radar and satellite)
B. To reduce the lack of data caused by radar blockage and other radar limitations
C. To provide valuable ground truth and verification
D. To help forecasters issue better forecasts and timely warnings
E. To create a storm chasing club and put weather spotters in danger

Question 4:
Which of the following describes a funnel cloud?

A. A rotating, funnel--shaped cloud extending from a thunderstorm base In contact with the ground
B. A rotating, funnel-shaped cloud extending from a thunderstorm base not in contact with the ground
C. A small, relatively weak rotating column of air in contact with the ocean or other large body of water

Question 5:
Weather spotters should report high surf conditions when:

A. Surf is 1 to 2 feet
B. Surf is 3 to 5 feet
C. Surf is 6 feet or more
D. Any flooding or damage caused by high tides or large surf
E. Both C and D

Question 6:
Which of the following spotter reports would be most useful to forecasters?

A. Hail 3/4-inch in diameter from 2:35 to 2:45 pm. Extensive damage to crops and cars
B. Thunderstorms over the mountains to the east
C. My high and low today: 78/52
D. Flooding in the area; the worst I've ever seen
E. Both B and D

Question 7:
What is the primary goal of the National Weather Service?

A. Update traffic reports
B. Issue picnic advisories
C. Protect life and property
D. Both A and B

Question 8:
A flood is different from a flash flood in that it is the inundation of a normally dry area along an established water course, and can last for days or weeks.

A. True.
B. False.

Question 9:
To protect yourself from damaging hail and you are in a vehicle you should:

A. Stay in your vehicle
B. Drive to substantial structures, overpasses, etc
C. Get out of your vehicle and stand in an open field
D. Seek shelter immediately, if available
E. A, B and D

Question 10:
Of the three types of National Weather Service statements, which is the most urgent?

A. Advisory
B. Warning
C. Watch

Question 11:
Flash floods can be caused by all of the following except:

A. Gradual light rains that eventually saturate the ground
B. Slow-moving thunderstorms
C. A train of thunderstorms tracking over the same area
D. Heavy rains from remnants of hurricanes and tropical storms
E. Broken or breached dams

Question 12:
If you have no weather equipment, you should not submit a spotter report based on estimates.

A. True
B. False

Question 13:
Weather spotters should report hot weather when:

A. It's hotter than anytime you can remember and you need to turn on the air conditioner
B. When heat index values become dangerous
C. Temperatures exceed 95 degrees near the coast
D. Temperatures exceed 105 degrees in the inland valleys
E. Temperatures exceed 115 degrees in the deserts
F. All of the above except A

Question 14:
When you submit a spotter report by phone, you should do all of the following except:

A. Give your spotter number and location
B. Chat or inquire excessively about the exciting weather
C. Be brief and to the point
D. Be as specific as you can about the location, time, measurements and impacts
E. Both C and D

Question 15:
Which of the following is needed to produce a downburst?

A. A tornado
B. A thunderstorm
C. Evaporation of rain which cools the air
D. Both B and C

Question 16:
Weather spotters should keep informed of weather events in their area by listening to NOAA weather radio and becoming familiar with our web page, especially the satellite and radar imagery.

A. True.
B. False.

Question 17:
Weather spotters should report winds when:

A. Wind speed is 15 mph or less
B. Wind speed is 30 mph or greater
C. Winds cause any damage or injury
D. Both B and C
E. A, B and C

Question 18:
SkywarnTM is an organization whose primary purpose is to have fun playing with radios and chasing severe storms.

A. True
B. False

Question 19:
Santa Ana winds are caused by:

A. Strong northeast winds aloft
B. A strong sea breeze
C. Strong high pressure over Nevada and lower pressure off the coast
D. Both A and C
E. A, B and C

Question 20:
Weather spotters should report winter weather when:

A. The elevation of the snow level is known
B. The wind chill or extreme cold becomes dangerous
C. Any mountain roads are icy or closed
D. Heavy snow falls
E. Any of the above occurs