Global Atmospheric Circulation model (Tropical Storms)

Question 1

What is weather?

Answer 1

Day to day changes in the atmosphere

Question 2

What is climate?

Answer 2

Average weather conditions in a place (recorded over 30 years)

Question 3

Where does a hurricane form?

Answer 3

Atlantic ocean

Question 4

Where does a cyclone form?

Answer 4

Indian ocean

Question 5

Where do typhoons form?

Answer 5

Pacific ocean

Question 6

Describe the distribution of tropical storms?

Answer 6

• Mainly located between the tropics

- Example: typhoons form off the coast of South East Asia

Question 7

Explain why tropical storms do not occur on the Equator?

Answer 7

They do not occur on the equator as there is not enough ‘spin’ from the rotation of the Earth. The effect of the Earth’s rotation is called the CORIOLIS effect.

Question 8

Features of a tropical storm?

Answer 8

• Eye - where air descends rapidly
• Eyewall - most intense weather conditions
• when winds reach 75 mph the storm officially becomes a tropical storm.
• spins due to coriolis effect

Question 9

Describe the formation of a tropical storm?

Answer 9

1. Warm, humid air rises, cools and then condenses to form clouds. More air spirals in to fill the gap left from the rising air.
2. The warm continues to rise and sucks in more air
3. Air descends at the centre of the hurricane. The eye is an area of calm conditions with a ring of clouds surrounding it.
4. Surrounding the eye are bands of heavy rain and very high winds
5. All tropical storms take their distinctive, anti clockwise spiraling shape because of the coriolis effect, generated by the rotation of the Earth.
6. They lose energy and slow down when they hit LANDFALL.

Question 10

Typhoon Haiyan (Philippines): path

Answer 10

• Started on the Pacific Ocean
• Went on to hit the Philippines, then it started turning North - West, then North and finished up on the South coast of China

Question 11

Typhoon Haiyan (Philippines): Primary effects

Answer 11

• About 6300 people killed - most drowned because of the STORM SURGE.
• Typhoon destroyed 30,000 fishing boats
• Strong winds damaged buildings and power lines and destroyed crops
• 90%

Question 12

Typhoon Haiyan (Philippines): Secondary effects

Answer 12

• 14 million people affected, may let homeless and 6 million people lost their source of income
• Power supplies in some areas cut off for a month
  Shortages of water, food and shelter affected many people, leading to outbreaks of disease.

Question 13

Typhoon Haiyan (Philippines) : Immediate response

Answer 13

• International government and aid agencies respond quickly with food, aid, water and temporary shelters.
• Over 1200 evacuation centres were set up to help the homeless.
• The Philippines Red Cross delivered basic food aid, which included rice, canned food, sugar, salt and cooking oil.
• UK government sent shelter kits, each one able to provide emergency shelter for a family.

Question 14

Typhoon Haiyan (Philippines) : long term response

Answer 14

• Rebuilding of roads, bridges and airport facilities
• Thousands of homes have been built away from areas at high risk of flooding
• Foreign donors including the US, Australia, and the EU supported new livelihood opportunities
• More cyclone shelters built

Question 15

Methods of reducing the effects of tropical storms: Monitoring

Answer 15

Recording physical changes to help forecast where and when a natural hazard may strike

Question 16

Methods of reducing the effects of tropical storms: Prediction

Answer 16

Forecatsing when and where a natural hazard may strike

Question 17

Methods of reducing the effects of tropical storms: Protection

Answer 17

Action taken before a hazard strikes to reduce its impact such as educating people

Question 18

Methods of reducing the effects of tropical storms: Planning

Answer 18

Action taken to enable communities to respond to, and recover from natural disasters.

Question 19

Tropical storms: protection strategies

Answer 19

• Windows, doors and roofs reinforced to strengthen buildings to withstand strong winds
  Sea walls built to protect key properties from storm surges
• Houses close to the coast are constructed on stilts so that a storm surge will pass beneath.
• In Bangladesh nearly 2000 cyclone shelters have been built.

Question 20

How might the distribution of tropical storms change?

Answer 20

• More tropical storms
• In areas that haven’t had them before (more widespread)
• more powerful tropical storms

Question 21

what is teh atmosphere?

Answer 21

the mixture of gases that make up the air above our heads

Question 22

what is circulation?

Answer 22

circular air movements called cells. These cells all join togetehr to form the overall circulation of the Earth’s atmosphere

Question 23

what does high pressure mean?

Answer 23

• Air is falling - clear skies

Question 24

what does low pressure mean?

Answer 24

• Air is rising - cloud/ rain/ wind

Question 25

Wind blows from what to what?

Answer 25

always from high to low pressure

Question 26

What does the Coriolis force mean for wind?

Answer 26

rotation of the earth prevents wind from blowing in a straight line

Question 27

Why does North Africa have their climate?

Answer 27

Cimate = few clouds, little raindfall, very hot during day + very cold during night
WHY? Air is sinking, high prrssure (sub tropical high) - no clouds, heat is quickly lost from ground

Question 28

Why does the equator have their climate?

Answer 28

Cimate = hot, humid, - often cloudy with high rainfall

WHY? directly under sun and low pressure (air rising)

Question 29

Why does UK have our climate?

Answer 29

Climate = changeable (cloudy, wet)

• Low pressure, - rain + cloud
• Polar air from notth and + tropical air