Extreme Weather in the UK Flashcards
What is weather?
The day-to-day meteorological conditions.
What is climate?
The average weather conditions over a 30-year period.
What is extreme weather?
Extreme weather is a weather event that is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern and is especially severe and unseasonal.
What is weather that is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern and is especially severe and/or unseasonal?
Extreme weather events are like this.
What can the UK be called in terms of weather?
The UK can be called the weather roundabout.
What can arctic air bring from the North and North West in the UK?
Arctic air can bring heavy snow and bitterly cold conditions.
Where does arctic air come from on the UK’s weather roundabout?
Arctic air comes from the North and from the North West.
Where can severe winter come to the UK weather roundabout from?
Severe winter comes to the UK’s weather roundabout from the east.
What type of weather comes from the east to the UK weather roundabout?
Severe winter comes to the UK’s weather roundabout from the east.
What comes from the Atlantic to the UK’s weather roundabout, and what does it bring?
Storms from the Atlantic bring heavy rain and strong winds to the UK weather roundabout.
What weather brings heavy rain and strong winds to the UK weather roundabout, and where does it come from?
Storms from the Atlantic bring heavy rain and strong winds to the UK weather roundabout.
What weather comes from the south to the UK weather roundabout, and what does it lead to?
Hot and sunny weather comes from the south, and it leads to heatwaves and drought.
Where does hot and sunny weather come from to the UK weather roundabout?
Hot and sunny weather comes from the south to the UK weather roundabout.
What do thunderstorms consist of?
Thunderstorms consist of heavy rain, lightning and strong winds.
Where are thunderstorms located in the UK and at what time of the year?
Thunderstorms are most common in the summer in the south and east of the UK.
What can lightning cause in thunderstorms?
Lightning can occasionally cause death and cause fires that damage people, property or the environment.
What happened in the UK in July 2014, to do with thunderstorms?
In July 2014, a series of thunderstorms struck southern and central England, with lightning strikes causing power cuts and delayed flights.
What can too much rain in a short period of time cause?
Too much rain in a short period of time can cause floods but more usually flash floods.
What can floods cause?
Floods can cause damage to homes and possessions, disrupt transport networks and cause death by drowning.
When are floods most common in the UK in the year?
In the UK, floods are most common in late winter and early spring when snowmelt can worsen the problem.
When did South Wales flood, how much rain did it have, and what storm was it?
Parts of South Wales flooded in 2018 after over 180mm of rain fell in 48 hours during Storm Callum.
What is a heatwave?
Long periods of hot weather?
What are the conditions for a weather event to be classified as a heatwave?
At least 3 days of continued passing of a certain threshold, depending on the place, which means that
How can people die in a heatwave?
People in a heatwave may die from heat exhaustion and breathing difficulties as pollution builds in the air.
What are the physical effects on property from a heatwave, which could cause damage to people?
The physical effects of a heatwave could include roads melting, and train-tracks buckling, although tourism may increase from this weather.
What is drought?
Drought is a period of low or no rainfall.
What does drought result in?
Drought results in water supplies running low.
What could happen if water supplies ran low?
Crops may fail and rules to conserve water may be put into place (e.g., hosepipe bans) if water supplies run low.
What happened from April 2010 to March 2012 to do with drought?
From April 2010 to March 2012, southern and eastern England only received 75% of their average monthly rainfall. By spring 2012, groundwater levels were very low.
What could a warming world lead to, to do with extreme weather events?
A warming world could lead to more intense storms, whilst atmospheric circulation may be affected bringing floods to normally dry regions and heatwaves to cooler areas.
What are weather systems driven by across the UK?
In the UK, weather systems cross the country from west to east driven by winds from the jet stream.
What direction does the jet stream move (U-turn and development in answer)?
The jet stream moves north and south, however can stick in one position resulting in long periods of the same type of weather, such as heavy rain or drought.
What blocks the easterly movement of weather systems?
A large easterly area of high pressure over Northern Europe can block the easterly movement of weather systems.
What could a warming Arctic result in?
A warming Arctic may slow down the atmosphere circulation in the Northern hemisphere mid latitudes, resulting in the weather ‘sticking’ for long periods of time.
What organization monitored Storm Darragh using satellites?
The UK’s Meteorological Office monitored Storm Darragh.
The Met Office used satellites to measure wind speeds and monitor the storm’s path and size.
What type of weather warning was issued for Storm Darragh?
Red weather warning
This is the most serious kind of warning issued by the Met Office.
How many people received the red weather warning for Storm Darragh?
Three million people
The warning was issued for parts of Wales and South-West England.
What advice was given in the mobile alert during Storm Darragh?
Stay indoors and gather essential items
Essential items included torches, batteries, and power banks.
What was the maximum wind speed recorded during Storm Darragh?
93 mph
This wind speed was reached when the storm made landfall.
How many people were left without electricity due to Storm Darragh?
Around 250,000 people
The power outages occurred across the south-west region.
What town experienced power and communication outages for two days during Storm Darragh?
Porlock
This town in Somerset has a large elderly population.
What tragic event occurred due to falling trees during Storm Darragh?
Two men died
They were killed when trees fell onto their cars.
What type of flooding occurred in the north-east of England during Storm Darragh?
River flooding
This flooding affected Northumberland.
What was the fate of a former England rugby player during the storm?
He died after becoming trapped in his car by floodwaters
He was trying to flee the flooding.
How did the power cuts impact hospitality businesses in the south-west?
Food had to be thrown out and businesses had to close
This resulted in significant financial losses.
What damage occurred at Holyhead port due to Storm Darragh?
Significant damage from destructive waves
The port, an important shipping route to Ireland, will be closed until mid-January.
What are the implications of truck diversions due to the port closure?
Additional costs in terms of time, fuel, and wages
Trucks have been diverted elsewhere due to port damage.
What environmental consequence resulted from Storm Darragh’s damage to trees?
Damage to the habitat for local bird species
In Wales, 100 trees were brought down in Craig-y-nos country park.
How many customers had their power restored after Storm Darragh?
Over 2.3 million customers
This occurred since the storm made landfall.
How many customers remained without power two days after the storm?
Just under 24,000 customers
These customers were still without power.
What commitment has the UK government made regarding carbon emissions?
Reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050
This commitment is in response to warnings about increasing extreme weather events.
What type of weather warning did the Met Office issue?
Red weathering warning
A red weather warning indicates severe weather conditions that can pose a threat to life.
How many people received a mobile alert from the Met Office?
3 million people
The alert advised individuals to stay indoors and gather essential items.
How many customers had their power restored after the storm?
Over 2.3 million customers
This restoration occurred after the storm made landfall.
What commitment has the UK government made regarding carbon emissions?
Reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050
This commitment comes amid warnings of increasing extreme weather events due to climate change.
What was the maximum wind speed recorded during the storm?
93 mph
These wind speeds caused significant damage, including downed electricity lines.
How many people in the south-west lost electricity due to the storm?
250,000 people
The loss of electricity was a direct result of falling electricity lines.
What tragic event occurred due to high winds during the storm?
2 men died after trees fell on their cars
This highlights the dangerous conditions caused by the storm.
What caused river flooding across Northumberland?
Heavy rainfall
This flooding affected local communities and infrastructure.
What significant damage occurred at the Holyhead port terminals?
Significant damage from destructive waves
The port will be closed until mid-January, affecting logistics.
What consequence did the damage at Holyhead port have on businesses?
Trucks were diverted elsewhere, raising travel costs
This disruption impacts the supply chain and delivery times for businesses.
How many trees were brought down in the Craig-y-nos country park in Wales?
100 trees
The fallen trees damaged habitats for ravens and other wildlife.
