Paper 1- Weather + UK

Question 1

main extreme weather depressions that affect the UK?

Answer 1

Strong mid latitude depressions
Tornadoes
Flooding
Drought

Question 2

The great storm

Answer 2

15th to 16th oct 1987
Reached wind speeds of over 120mph
Gusts over 80mph recorded continually to 3 to 4 hours
MOstly affected southern england, Channel island + Normandy

Question 3

Impacts of the great storm

Answer 3

felled about 15 million trees accross souther england
several hundered of thousand peoples power was cut
22 fatalities
Damage to the UK insurance industry cos £2 billion

Question 4

Main types of flooding

Answer 4

Coastal flooding

Flash flooding

Slow onset river flooding

Surface water flooding

Question 5

drought

Answer 5

an extended period where less than a third of average precipitation falls in UK, this equates to 15 consecutive days with less than 0.02 mm rain. E.g UK summer 1976

Question 6

top down respones in the UK

Answer 6

Central government funded defences e.g. Thames Barrier

UK met office predictions and warnings

Environment agency flood risk maps

Hosepipe ban

Question 7

Bottom up responses

Answer 7

homeowners flood proofing homes

communication via social media

having emmergency supplies

Local volunteering

Question 8

ways in which global warming could be expected to influence hydro-meteorological hazards in the UK

Answer 8

warmer seas = more moisture in the atmosphere–> higher rainfall, stronger stroms

More significant in winter ^ more winter flooding

Hotter summers = higher likelyhood of drought

sea level rise + higher rainfall = potential for more devastating storm surges