Storm Hazard - 3.1.5.5 Flashcards
High Pressure
A condition of the atmosphere where the air falls down to earth. Therefore there are no clouds and little wind. Temperatures are very cold in winter and very hot in summer.
Low Pressure
A condition of the atmosphere where the air rises which creates lots cloud, wind and rain.
Hurricane
A large rotating storm centred around an area of very low pressure with strong winds blowing faster than 74 mph consistently.
Tropic of Capricorn
The imaginary lines around the earth which signifies how far the sun moves south of the equator
Tropic of Cancer
The imaginary lines around the earth signify how far the sun moves north of the equator.
Coriolis effect
The rotation of the earth causes the air to move to the right. Therefore, hurricanes spin anti-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
Cumulonimbus cloud
Massive rain clouds which trigger thunderstorms and torrential rain.
Storm surge
A rise in sea level due to low pressure and strong winds pushing the sea towards the coast.
Latent heat
The energy is released when water vapour is turned into liquid in the upper atmosphere. This process provides more energy to hurricanes.
Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale
A scale which classifies hurricanes into 5 categories depending on the strength of their wind.
Eye of storm
The region at the centre of a hurricane about which the winds rotate, but which itself is relatively calm
Track
The probable path a hurricane is going to take.
Cone of uncertainty
Only 70% of hurricanes occur with the project track. The project path of the hurricane becomes less confident the further it looks into the future.
StormFury
The name of the project attempted to reduce the power of a hurricane by trying to seed the clouds with silver iodide to initiate thunderstorms away from the eyewall.
Newly Emerging Economy
An intermediate category summarises the wealth of a country who are neither a HIC nor a LIC.
Cash for work
Jobs provided to (newly created) unemployed people after a disaster i.e. to help tidy up the damage.
Global Hawk Drone
An unmanned surveillance aircraft which collects weather data from hurricanes to help predict its path.
National Hurricane Centre
An American organisation which uses satellites to track the path of a hurricane and super computer to predict where it will go.
Hurricane Watch
A warning is provided 48 hours in advance of a hurricane. This is broadcast on television.
Cyclone Shelter
An emergency shelter which is designed to protect up to 1000 people from storm surges and strong winds.
National Hurricane Preparedness Week
A week-long event was held in May (in the USA) whereby the people were educated about hurricane hazards and how to reduce their risk.
Hurricane straps
The name of the object that helps make the roof and walls more resistant to high winds.
Cone of uncertainty.
The graphic prediction of where a hurricane will hit in the next few days. The further the prediction into the future the larger the area that could be hit.
Mangrove swamps.
A forest which grows in salty conditions by the sea and is very good at stopping storm surges.
Typhoon Haiyan
The name of the typhoon which occurred in the Philippines.
No build zone
An area of coastline which was declared not safe for future habitation as a consequence of Typhoon Haiyan’s storm surge.
Curfew
To reduce looting the government set up an order requiring people to remain indoors between specified hours, typically at night
Federal Emergency Management Agency
A highly trained group of people who have the skills, resources and money to organise a relief and rehabilitation program.
Mitigation
Reduce the severity of an event and lessen its impact. This can be done pre- and post-hazard.
Prevention
Actions aimed at stopping the natural hazard from starting. Impossible for hurricanes.
Adaption
How people change their behaviour or surroundings to minimise the risks and maximise the benefits. For example - hurricane-proof buildings.
Preparedness
What happens before the natural hazard to minimise risk and vulnerability? For example - education.
