Cyclones - Formation And Impacts

Question 1

What is a Tropical Cyclone known as in the North Atlantic and on the Pacific coast of the USA?

Answer 1

A Hurricane

Question 2

What are Tropical Cyclones known as in the Indian and South Pacific oceans?

Answer 2

A Cyclone

Question 3

What are Tropical Cyclones known as in the western North Pacific Ocean?

Answer 3

Typhoons

Question 4

What is the scale which tropical cyclones are classified with in the USA?

Answer 4

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

Question 5

What are the four main hazards Hurricanes bring?

Answer 5

Strong Winds, Storm Surges, Intense rainfall, Landslides

Question 6

What is a storm surge?

Answer 6

Very high tides cause a large tsunami like wave however it is formed due to a storm and not tectonic activity.

Question 7

What is the temperature of tropical waters required for a tropical cyclone to develop?

Answer 7

Atleast 26.5°C

Question 8

Name the three things required for a tropical cyclone to develop?

Answer 8

Warm tropical oceans, Strong winds high in the troposphere and a strong Coriolis force.

Question 9

With regards to pressure, what determines how strong the winds will be.

Answer 9

The bigger the difference in pressure between the air and the tropical cyclone the stronger the winds.

Question 10

Describe the 5 stages of tropical cyclone formation.

Answer 10

Stage 1
Warm air currents rise from the ocean, As the warm air rises, more air rushes in to replace it: then it too rises, drawn by the draught above.
Stage 2
Updraughts of air contain huge volumes of water vapour from the oceans, which condense to produce cumulonimbus clouds . Condensation reloases hoat energy storod in water vapour, which powers the cyclone further
Stage 3
Coriolis causes rising currents of air to spiral around the centre of the tropical cyclone, so it resembles a whiring cyinder. It rises and cools, and some of it descends to form the clear, cloudiess, still, eye of the storm.
Stage 4
As the tropical cyclone tracks away from its source, it is fed new heat anmoisture from the gceans. enlarging as it does so.
Stage 5
Oncet reaches a landmass, it loses its energy source from the ocean, Air pressure rses as termperature tais, winds drop.ranfall decreases. and t decays to become a mere storm.