formation of tropical storms and Global atmosphere

Question 1

define a tropical storm

Answer 1

A revolving low pressure system, bringing strong winds, rainfall and storm surges

Question 2

• what happens towards the edges of the storm

Answer 2

towards the edges of the storm wind speed falls, the clouds become smaller and more scattered, the rain becomes less intense and the temperature increases

Question 3

• what is the eye wall [

Answer 3

the eye is surrounded by the eyewall, where there’s spiralling rising air, very strong winds, storm clouds, torrential rain and a low temperature

Question 4

• what is the centre of the storm called

Answer 4

the centre of the storm is called the eye- its up to 50 km across and is caused by descending air

there’s very low pressure light winds, no clouds no rain and a high temperature in the eye

Question 5

• what are the characteristics of a tropical storm

Answer 5

tropical storms are circular in shape, hundreds of kilometres wide and usually last 7-14 days. they spin anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere

Question 6

Formation of tropical storm

Answer 6

1. Tropical storms form over deep warm tropical seas at 27 °c causing air to rise (low pressure).
2. Coriolis force causes the rising air to rotate anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, clockwise in the southern
3. As the air rises the warm moist air releases latent heat when condensation occurs.
4. Further rising and unstable air cools and condenses to form huge cumulo-nimbus clouds.
5. Cool air descends from the top of the storm. As it falls in the centre (the eye), it warms and becomes dry.
6. As the tropical storm makes landfall, there is little or no warm water to drive the storm and it reduces in intensity

Question 7

• how does global atmospheric circulation affect weather and climate

Answer 7

at the equator the son is directly overhead- this means the earths surface receives a lot of solar radiation, so its hot. Warm, moist air rises and forms clouds, so it rains a lot

by the time air reaches 30 degrees north and south of the equator it has released most of its moisture as rain. the dry air means there are few clouds and little rainfall, so deserts are often found at this latitude

The UK lies close to the low pressure zone at 60 degrees north. warm rising air brings lots of cloud cover and rainfall, often as low pressure systems carried from the Atlantic by westerly wind

Question 8

how is a low pressure belt created

Answer 8

the sun warms the earth at the equator, causing the air to rise. this creates a low-pressure belt.

as the air rises it cools and moves away from the equator

Question 9

what happens 30 degrees north and south of the equator

Answer 9

30 degrees north and south of the equator, the cool air sinks, creating a high-pressure belt

at the ground surface, the cool air moves either back to the equator as trade winds or towards the poles as westerlies. this winds curve because of the earths rotation- this is called the coriolis effect

Question 10

what happens 60 degrees north and south of the equator

Answer 10

60 degrees north and south of the equator the warmer surface winds meet colder air from the poles. the warmer air rises to create low pressure

some of the air moves back towards the equator, and the rest moves towards the poles

Question 11

what happens at the poles

Answer 11

at the poles, the cool air sinks, creating high pressure. The high-pressure air is then drawn back towards the equator

Question 12

Distribution of tropical storms

Answer 12

occur in tropical areas between 5 - 15 degrees north and south of the equator
Strongest are in the East Pacific - Japan / Philippines

none of coast of America due to cold currents

Question 13

Conditions for tropical storms

Answer 13

• latitude between 5-20 N&S
• sea 26C or over
• heat sea to depth of 70m
• Coriolis force
• low wind speeds at high altitudes