PMT - storm formation

Question 1

how does a storm form?

Answer 1

1. Warm, moist air rises, creating low pressure.
2. More warm air moves in to replace it, continuing the cycle.
3. As the air rises, it cools and condenses, forming thunderstorm clouds.
4. The Earth’s rotation causes storms to spin: anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
5. Heat energy fuels the storm, increasing wind speeds. At 39 mph, it is classed as a tropical storm.
6. The eye is a calm, low-pressure zone, while the eyewall has the most intense winds and rainfall.
7. When winds reach 74 mph, it becomes a hurricane, cyclone, or typhoon.
8. When the storm nears land, low pressure and high winds push seawater inland, causing coastal flooding.
9. The storm weakens as it loses its energy source (warm ocean air), but heavy rain can continue for days.

Question 2

what is the Coriolis effect?

Answer 2

the deflection of moving air and water due to the Earth’s rotation, causing winds to curve right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere.