Living with the physical environment: Weather Hazards Flashcards
Hadley cell
Found in the middle of the earth (equator)
Warm air
Moves anti-clockwise
Tropical storm
An area of low pressure with high winds moving in a spiral around the eye
Polar cell
Located near the North Pole
Cold air
Moves anti-clockwise
Ferrel cell
Mild air
Moves clockwise
Some air escapes into Polar / Hadley
Conditions needed for tropical storms to form
Sea surface temperature of 27°C and above
5° and 15° north and south of the equator
Distribution of tropical storms
In the future tropical storms may affect other areas
Frequency of tropical storms
The amount of storms may decrease but the intensity of them will increase
Intensity of tropical storms
The increase in sea surface temperatures have increased intensity
Typhoon Haiyan - key facts
Date - November 2013
Category - 5
Wind speeds - 170mph
Worst affected city - Tacloban
Typhoon Haiyan - primary effects
Social - 6300 people killed, 600000 people displaced
Economic - Tacloban Airport damaged, 40000 homes destroyed
Environmental - 400mm of rain caused flooding
Typhoon Haiyan - secondary effects
Social - 14 million people affected, many jobs were lost
Economic - 6 million lost their source of income
Environmental - flooding caused landslides = blocked roads
Typhoon Haiyan - immediate responses
Social - 1200 evacuation centers for the homeless
US aircraft assisted with search and rescue
French, Israeli, and Belgian set up field hospitals
Typhoon Haiyan - long term responses
Social - Cyclone shelters were built to accommodate people
Economic - ‘Cash for walk’ where the government paid people to clear roads of debris
Rice farming and fishing were quickly re-established
Oxfam supported fisherman
Reducing the impacts of tropical storms - monitoring and prediction
Developments in technology have made it possible to track tropical storms effectively
Hurricane Watch advise the severity of conditions and whether people should evacuate
Reducing the impacts of tropical storms - protection
Shutters over windows
Build on raised grounds
Storm drains that take excessive amounts of rainfall away
Sea walls protect buildings from storm surges
Reducing the impacts of tropical storms - planning
Raise individual and community awareness
Educate people on potential dangers
Thunderstorms
Torrential rainfall associated with flooding
Can cause ‘flash’ floods
Prolonged rainfall
This can lead to flooding
Common in late winter and early spring, snowmelt makes the problem worse
Drought and extreme weather
Rivers can dry up and reservoirs become dangerously low, affecting water supplies and wildlife
It can also cause death to the frail, elderly, and the youth
Heavy snow and extreme cold
Cause great hardships, especially in the north
Can disrupt daily life, e.g. going to work or school
Strong winds
Disruption to power supplies and damage from fallen trees
Why does extreme weather occur in the UK?
Meeting point of several different types of weather from different directions
Somerset Levels - facts
Location -
South East of England, bordered by Bristol Channel
Area drained by Tore River and Parrett River
Somerset Levels - causes
Causes -
Was the wettest January since records began in 1910
Several depressions brought 350mm of torrential rainfall
Somerset Levels - impacts
Social -
600 houses flooded
16 farms evacuated
Many didn’t have power
Residents evacuated
Economic -
Over 1000 livestock evacuated
Damage cost £10 million to repair
Local road cut off by flood
Environmental -
Stagnant water had to be re-oxygenated
Flood water was contaminated
Somerset Levels - immediate responses
Boats were used to travel to school or shopping
Volunteers gave support
Somerset Levels - long-term responses
£20 million scheme to reduce risk
River banks have been raised
Pumping stations were built
Road levels were raised
Evidence of extreme weather in the UK
2003 heatwave -
The UK recorded its highest ever temperature of 38.5°C in Kent
2007 floods -
Several people died and were homeless in Gloucestershire, Hull and Sheffield
2008 floods -
Severe flooding in Somerset, Worcestershire and Northumberland
2009 heavy snow -
Parts of south-west and south-east England were affected by 20cm of snow
