Hazards: Atmospheric Hazards

Question 1

What factors effect a place’s climate?

Answer 1

latitude, continentality, altitude

Question 2

What is global atmospheric circulation?

Answer 2

movement of air around the world transferring heat

Question 3

Warm air rises creating…

Answer 3

low pressure

Question 4

What weather conditions is low pressure associated with?

Answer 4

rain, cloud and unsettled conditions

Question 5

Why is low pressure associated with rainfall?

Answer 5

as when air rises, it then cools and condenses to form rainclouds

Question 6

Is the equator a low or high pressure area?

Answer 6

low

Question 7

When air moves from high to low pressure in a convection current it is called…

Answer 7

pressure belts (e.g. Hadley cell)

Question 8

When air moves along the surface of the earth from areas of high to low pressure it is called…

Answer 8

surface winds

Question 9

Rainforests are located…

Answer 9

on the equator

Question 10

Why are deserts located just above the equator?

Answer 10

as cool air sinks creating a belt of high pressure - warm and dry air

Question 11

What is insolation of the sun at the equator?

Answer 11

high levels as the rays are spread out over a smaller area

Question 12

Air moves from an area of…

Answer 12

HIGH TO LOW PRESSURE

Question 13

What conditions are required for tropical storms?

Answer 13

-ocean temp above 27C
-low wind shear
-ocean depth over 60m
-low latitudes

Question 14

Why do tropical storms require low latitudes?

Answer 14

temp is higher, sea and air are heated more quickly - low air pressure, air rises, Coriolis effect is strong enough for storms to spin

Question 15

Why is ocean depth and temp important for tropical storms?

Answer 15

provides heat and moisture (more evaporation), powers storm

Question 16

Why is low wind shear important for tropical storms?

Answer 16

wind is constant - so clouds can rise to high altitudes without being torn apart

Question 17

What are the 9 steps to a tropical storm formation?

Answer 17

1. air heated above warms oceans
2. warm air RISES rapidly creating LOW PRESSURE
3. winds created as rising air draws up air + moisture
4. air starts to spin due to Coriolis effect
5. air cools and condenses forming large clouds
6. heat is given off as air cools
7. cold air sinks in the centre, creating a calm eye
8. storm travels across the ocean with prevailing wind
9. at landfall it loses energy + no evaporation occurs

Question 18

How can we monitor tropical storms?

Answer 18

satellites - Global Precipitation measurement satellite monitors high altitude rainclouds every 3 hours

Question 19

How can we protect from tropical storms?

Answer 19

‘no build zones’, reinforce buildings, develop coastal flood defences

Question 20

How can we plan against tropical storms?

Answer 20

disaster supply kits, educate locals on evacuation shelters, ensure all vehicles are fuelled

Question 21

How can we predict tropical storms?

Answer 21

supercomputers give 5 days warning within 400km, national hurricane centres issue warnings, track forecast cones plot predicted path

Question 22

What is extreme weather?

Answer 22

a weather event which is significantly different from the usual weather pattern - uneasonal

Question 23

What weather hazards do the UK experience?

Answer 23

flooding, droughts + heatwaves, storm events, extremes of cold weathers

Question 24

Why did the Beast from the East occur?

Answer 24

air blowing over North sea picked up moisture and brought snow

Question 25

What were the impacts of the Beast from the East?

Answer 25

4 deaths, up to 19 inches of snow in uplands, over 8000 road accidents

Question 26

What management strategies reduced the risk of BFTE?

Answer 26

met office released warnings, Cleveland mountain rescue, council gritted roads