Extreme Weather Flashcards
Why is the globe hotter at the equator?
The sun is at a right angle so the energy is more concentrated and heats up the area surrounding the equator
Which two ocean currents make the weather in the U.K. quite mild for most of the year?
Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift
How is a global climate zone of low pressure caused?
When air at the equator is heated strongly so becomes less dense and rises to a air altitude. When the air rises away it creates low pressure
What is dew point?
When less dense, rising air cools to a certain temperature at a certain altitude - when condensation starts
What creates a band of cloud around the equator?
The process of condensation that happens at dew point
What happens after air rises reaches dew point?
The parcels of air cool and become the same temperature as the surrounding air.
This is the top of the lower atmosphere - air here diverges both north and south towards the poles
What happens to air at the top of the lower atmosphere?
It diverges (spreads out) towards the north and south poles
What are sub-tropical anticyclones?
When air descends after diverging between latitudes 30 and 40* north and south to form areas of high pressure - as it falls it’s heated
What are trade winds?
When warm air picks up moisture as water vapour as it crosses seas or oceans
What are the cells of convection at closest latitudes to the equator?
Hadley cells
What happens to air fallen air if it doesn’t go back to the equator?
It moves towards the poles - air is warm and less dense so it rises when meets colder air = Polar front
When air rises at the polar front, what convection cell is formed?
Air diverges so a second cell - the Ferrel cell is formed
What happens to remaining air that doesn’t form the Ferrel cell?
Continues towards the poles where it cools and sinks - polar regions have high pressure - and forms a polar cell
What are prevailing winds?
Winds that are always there
How are winds named?
By the direction they are coming from
What is convectional rain?
Rain caused by warm air rising and cooling
How to global pressure and surface winds influence precipitation?
- convectional rain - high and constant at equator
- low pressure zone around equator (ITCZ) where air rises and triggers bursts of torrential rain
- above polar front - differences in air temp. create jet stream which can pull up more warm air and becomes a depression
- rainfall is low around tropics - dry air descends as part of Hadley and Ferrel cells = arid
- precipitation low in polar regions and usually falls as snow
What is frontal rain?
Rain due to warm air and cold air meeting at the polar front with the warm air being forced to rise
What is an inter-tropical convergence zone?
Between tropics, the trade winds come together
Why does air rise at the equator?
It is warmed as the equator is at a right angle to the sun
What is the global distribution of hurricanes?
- mainly form in seas
- only affect coastal areas
- found in the tropics, but not the equator
- don’t move far inland as friction is too great and lost heat source (the sea)
Which low-income countries are at risk of tropical cyclones?
- Central America (Honduras, Mexico)
- India
- Bangladesh
- Burma
- The Philippines
- China
Which high-income countries are at risk of tropical cyclones?
- USA
- Japan
- Australia
Where are hurricanes found?
Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Oceans
Where are typhoons found?
West of the North Pacific Ocean
Where are cyclones found?
Indian and South Pacific oceans
Where do tropical storms develop?
- between the tropics
- where sea temperatures are above 26.5*C
- highest frequency of storms in Atlantic and Pacific
- majority in northern hemisphere
- Coriolis effect spins rising air
How do tropical storms form?
- form over oceans with minimum temperature of 26.5*C
- warm temperatures cause warm air to rise, taking water vapour with it
- warm air cools to form cumulonimbus clouds
- rising air creates low pressure at sea level
- air with higher pressure moves in to replace risen air
- air does not move straight into low pressure area due to earths circulation - whirls in
- this air moves upwards with more water vapour so storm clouds are pulled into a spin by incoming wind and the spinning storm is pulled outward leaving the eye in the centre
- the cold air sinks down to the centre where it is heated ad pulled into the spinning circle of air
- the spinning circle drifts sideways due to trade winds
- energy depresses sea level under it, so there is a ridge of sea water giving rise to storm surges
Environmental effects of tropical storms?
- wind speeds (primary effect) - damage to buildings, power lines, roads
- storm surges (primary effect) - low air pressure means that sea levels are high, coastal flooding
- heavy rainfall (primary effect) - rain cause widespread flooding
Social impacts of tropical storms?
- mudslides and landslides (secondary effect) - unstable slopes become saturated with rain
- waterborne diseases (secondary effect) - polluted water supplied
- damaged homes and lack of services (secondary effect) - make shift shelters, services affected as infrastructure awaits repair
Immediate responses to tropical storms?
- emergency services on alert
- evacuating the area
- rescuing and treating victims of storm
- MEDCs - detailed plans in place - people alerted through media services, police and army go street-by-street, so people comply with evacuation orders and have sufficient supplies, find higher ground
- LEDCs - lack of infrastructure means harder to alert people of danger, find higher ground, receive help from other governments
Long term responses to tropical storms?
- rebuilding damaged housing and infrastructure
- setting up or improving protective system e.g. levees
- Rich countries - need less help, buildings built more solidly so minimum damage, government can respond quickly SO infrastructure is repaired quickly
- LICs - months later things return to previous state, long term health concerns, temporary housing, fewer resources so it takes longer to rebuild and move people back to their home areas
How do long term responses to tropical storms differ between richer countries and LICs?
- richer countries - less help, buildings are more solid to damage is minimum, governments respond quickly to repair infrastructure quickly
- LICs - long term health concerns, people in temporary housing, fewer resources means it takes longer for infrastructure to be rebuilt
What are the ways to reduce the effects of tropical storms?
- monitoring
- prediction
- protection and planning
How is monitoring used to reduce the effects of tropical storms?
Satellites identity formation of tropical storms, track their path and strength so they can be classified on the Saffir-Simpson scale and evaluate the damage that they will produce
How is prediction used to reduce the effects of tropical storms?
Meteorologists - use monitoring information to provide warning to let local areas prepare - weather agencies update for case and supply them to media channels
How is protection and planning used to reduce the effects of tropical storms?
- school children are taught the dangers of tropical storms and told what to do if a storm hits
- governments provide posters and leaflets
- people encouraged to prepare disaster kits
When did typhoon Haiyan hit?
8th November 2013 at 4.40am
What category was typhoon Haiyan?
Category 5
Where did typhoon Haiyan affect?
The Philippines
Where did typhoon Haiyan originate?
North West Pacific Ocean
What are the wind speeds of a category 1 tropical storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale?
119-153km/h
What are the wind speeds of a category 2 tropical storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale?
154-177km/h
What are the wind speeds of a category 3 tropical storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale?
178-208km/h
What are the wind speeds of a category 4 tropical storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale?
209-251km/h
What are the wind speeds of a category 5 tropical storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale?
252km/h +
Which categories on the Saffir-Simpson scale are major tropical storms?
3, 4 and 5
How much damage will a category 1 tropical storm do?
- very dangerous winds - some damage to well constructed houses
- large branches will snap
- power outages - damage to power lines
How much damage will a category 2 tropical storm do?
- extremely dangerous winds - extensive damage to houses
- shallow trees uprooted
- almost total power loss for several days
How much damage will a category 3 tropical storm do?
- devastating damage to well built houses
- many trees uprooted blocking roads
- electricity and water unavailable for days
How much damage will a category 4 tropical storm do?
- catastrophic damage - severe damage to houses
* fallen trees will leave residential areas without power for weeks
How much damage will a category 5 tropical storm do?
- catastrophic damage - widespread destruction
- lots of infrastructure and homes destroyed
- most of area uninhabitable for weeks or months
What were the primary effects of typhoon Haiyan?
- 5m storm surge in Tacloban
- 400mm heavy rainfall - widespread flooding
- 90% of Tacloban was destroyed
- 6000 people killed
What were the secondary effects of typhoon Haiyan?
- winds battered home so people were made homeless
- people lost their source of income
- power supplies cut off for a month
- shortages of water and food
- violence broke out in Tacloban
What were the immediate responses to typhoon Haiyan?
- international governments provided food, water, temporary shelter
- helicopters assisted with search and delivery of aid
- 1200 evacuation centres set up
- Red Cross delivered food
- UK government sent shelter kits
What were the long term responses to typhoon Haiyan?
- UN donated financial aid, supplies and medical support
- rebuilding of roads
- rice farming and fishing re-established
How can the effects of tropical storms be reduced?
- planning
- monitoring
- protection
- prediction
What advice is given to people so they can plan for tropical storms?
- preparing a disaster kit
- putting fuel in their vehicles
- storing loose objects
- knowing where evacuation shelters are
What devices are used to monitor tropical storms?
- satellites
* aircraft