Hazards-Storm Hazards

Question 1

Give the definition of a tropical cyclone?

Answer 1

A low pressure system over tropical or sub-tropical waters, with intense convective activity (e.g. Thunderstorms) and winds circulating in an arctic lock wise direction in the Northern Hemisphere (clockwise in Southern Hemisphere).

Question 2

What are the causes of tropical storms?

Answer 2

• Deep, warm oceans up to 70m deep with surface temperatures of 27c
• Warm, moist air is forced to rise, causing cooling, condensing and cloud formation
• Rotation of the Earth generates the spinning of the waves
• High moisture content so little frictional drag with the surface of the Ocean.

Question 3

Where do most tropical storms originate?

Answer 3

They mostly originate in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone

-An area of low pressure between 5-25* North and South of the Equator

Question 4

What is the Coriolis Effect?

Answer 4

The rotation of the Earth that generates the spinning of tropical storm waves.

Question 5

Give the definition of the Magnitude of a Tropical Storm.

Answer 5

The size of tropical storms that is measured on the Saffir-Simpson Intensity Scale.

Question 6

Give the definition of the Frequency of Tropical Storms.

Answer 6

The number of times an event happens within a given period.

Question 7

Give the definition of Regularity of Tropical Storms.

Answer 7

How often the storms occur at set times.

Question 8

Give the definition of Predictability of Tropical Storms.

Answer 8

The level of certainty at which a storm can be forecast.

Question 9

Describe the Safari-Simpson Intensity Scale.
How many categories are there?
What are the characteristics of each category?

Answer 9

-5 categories
CATEGORY 1-
Surge= 4-5 feet Winds=74-95mph
Some coastal flooding but NO real damage
CATEGORY 2-
Surge= 6-8 feet Winds= 96-110mph
Flooding damages piers and some roofing material may be damaged
CATEGORY 3-
Surge= 9-12 feet Winds= 111-130mph
Some mobile homes destroyed, structural damage, flooding inland destroys small structures by coast
CATEGORY 4-
Surge= 13-18 feet Winds= 131-155mph
Extensive structural failure, major erosion of beach areas, flooding well inland
CATEGORY 5-
Surge= 19+ feet Winds= 156+ mph
Complete roof failure, flooding causes major damage to lower floors or all structures on coastline, massive evacuation of residential areas

Question 10

Give an example of a Storm a Prediction system and describe it.

Answer 10

National Hurricane Centre and Joint Typhoon Warning system in USA.

• Provide satellite coverage of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
• Also run numerical models through supercomputers on a daily basis to enable the prediction of a storm track.

Question 11

Give an example of an area where their is bad tropical storm forecasting.

Answer 11

Bangladesh 1991

• More than 135,000 people died
• More than a million cattle killed
• $1.5 billion in damage
• Hit the Southern East Coast of Bangladesh which is prone to flooding as it is a River Delta Region
• 150mph winds caused a 20 foot surge of water

Question 12

Give the definition of Risk Management.

Answer 12

The response and planning to a situation involving exposure to danger to reduce its impacts.

Question 13

Give the definition of Preparedness.

Answer 13

The state of being ready and prepared for a disaster.

Question 14

Give the definition of Mitigation.

Answer 14

The action of reducing the severity or seriousness of a hazard.

Question 15

Give the definition of Prevention.

Answer 15

The action of stopping something from happening.

Question 16

Give the definition of Adaptation.

Answer 16

The action of changing behaviour in order to reduce the severity of the hazard.

Question 17

What does the Spearmans Rank Test show?

Answer 17

Shows if there is a possible relaxation ship between the Gross National Income and the Number of People Affected.

Uses a formula to provide a numerical value between +1 and -1
A negative value shows a negative relationship
A positive value shows a positive relationship