1.4 Tropical Cyclones Flashcards
What is location of tropical cyclones
Mainly on equator and are mainly on atlantic pacific and indian ocean and in between tropic of cancer and capricorn.
Features of tropical cyclones
Clouds can reach up to 15km high, winds increase strength at eyewall, develop between mid jan-march in southern hemisphere and dvelop late summer in northern hemisphere, winds rotate outwards, clear sky and no wind in eye, form at 26.5 degrees,move from eats to west
Eye-centre of eye and is about 50k across and is caused by descsending air,very low pressure and no clouds and norain and high temperature
Eyewall-spiralling rising air,very string winds and strom clouds, torrential rain and low temp
Formation of tropical cyclones
-strong clusters of thunderstorms drift over warm water at 26.5 degrees
- warm air from storm and ocean surface combine which create huge amounts of energy and begin rising creating lownpressure at surface which creates surface winds
- rising warm causes pressure to decrease at high altitudes and wind make them spin outwards
- air rises faster and faster drawing warm air off sea and cooler drier air downwards
- as storm moves collects more water and wind speed increase
- takes hours to become cyclone of an eye, low pressure surrounded by high winds and storm
-dissipate when they move over land or cooler water because energy supply from warm water is cut off so chnages in windspeed.
Impacts on tropical cyclones on people (storm surges,high winds etc)
Storm surges- contaminating farmland
High winds- homelessness and buildings damaged and injuries
Rainfall- damage to property and fast flowing water can cause injuries
Flooding- farming and toruism industries destroyed and causes sewages to overflow which conaminates wtaer so easier diseases to spread as shortsge of clean water
Landslide- home destroyed and death and dmages on roads so difficult for aid to occur
Impacts on tropical cyclones on environemnt(strom surges,high winds etc)
Storm surges- erode beaches and coastal habitats,damage coastal dfeneces and flow inland
High winds- treess blown over
Rainfall- flooding
Flooding- damaging salt water and can damage industrial buildings on coast such as oil factories causing harmful chemicals into environment and causes pollution
Landslide- blocked rivers as sediment deposited in lakes and rivers so can kill wildlife