Which factor can cause turbulence near mountains?

Which factor can cause turbulence near mountains?

• A. Orographic wind effects
• B. Convective build-up
• C. Jet stream shift
• D. Wind shear near slopes

Answer: (A)

When air meets mountains, it is forced to rise and bend around the terrain. This orographic forcing creates mountain waves downstream and can generate rotor circulation on the leeward side. The resulting vertical motions and rapid changes in wind speed and direction produce turbulence characteristic of mountainous areas. Convective buildup is tied to buoyant, vertical air motion from heating and thunderstorms, not the terrain itself. Jet stream shifts cause high-altitude turbulence away from terrain, and while wind shear near slopes can contribute, the direct and most typical cause of turbulence near mountains is the orographic wind effects that generate waves and rotor motions in the airflow.

When air meets mountains, it is forced to rise and bend around the terrain. This orographic forcing creates mountain waves downstream and can generate rotor circulation on the leeward side. The resulting vertical motions and rapid changes in wind speed and direction produce turbulence characteristic of mountainous areas.

Convective buildup is tied to buoyant, vertical air motion from heating and thunderstorms, not the terrain itself. Jet stream shifts cause high-altitude turbulence away from terrain, and while wind shear near slopes can contribute, the direct and most typical cause of turbulence near mountains is the orographic wind effects that generate waves and rotor motions in the airflow.