Morning Trivia

On WBZ News weekend mornings, we have a weather trivia segment. Here is one from this morning.

Q: Which one is not a part of a hurricane?

a) eyewall

b) moat

c) spiral bands

d) flanking line

A: d) flanking line

Surrounding the eye, the eyewall is the most intense portion of the hurricane. The moat is the region between the eyewall and a weaker outer rainband such as a secondary eyewall rainband. It is the relatively light rain region between the rainband and the eyewall. Spiral bands are localized areas of tall, deep clouds containing heavy rain and stronger winds which can extend several hundred miles from the hurricane and spiral toward the center of the hurricane. Flanking line is a line of attached cumulus or towering cumulus clouds of descending height appearing as stair steps usually on the southwest side of the most active part of a supercell or severe thunderstorm.

Tropical Storm Karl sideswiped Bermuda this morning with minimal impact. The island experienced some gale force wind gusts and bands of heavy rain with some lightning and thunder. Heavy surf will continue for the next couple of days. Karl is moving swiftly away from Bermuda and will intensify into a Cat. 1 Hurricane in the next 12-24 hours threatening only the shipping lanes.