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aqa a level geography: physical > storm hazards > Flashcards

storm hazards Flashcards

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1
Q

how are tropical storms formed

A
  • Hurricanes need a lot of heat to form, which is why they usually occur over tropical seas (at least 27°C).
  • The sun is close to the equator, providing energy to heat the ocean.
  • The warm ocean heats the air above it causing it to rise rapidly.
  • Water evaporates quickly from the hot surface of the ocean, so the rising air contains great amounts of water vapour.
  • The rising air starts to spin (anti-clockwise in the northern hemisphere)
  • The centre of the storm - the eye - is calm.
  • As the air rises it cools, condenses and forms towering cumulonimbus clouds.
  • The rapidly rising air creates an area of intense low pressure. The low pressure sucks in air, causing very strong winds.
  • they are driven by prevailing winds
  • Once the storm moves over land it starts to lose energy and fades.
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2
Q

where do tropical storms occur

A

they occur between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn which are 23.5 degrees north and south of the equator

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3
Q

5 hazards associated with tropical storms

A

-high winds: can travel out 300 km/h+
-average winds are 120km/h
destroy buildings
uproot trees

  • storm surges(large rise in sea level): caused by high winds pushing water at high tides towards the coast in low pressure conditions
  • heavy rain: caused by warm, moist air as it rises and cools
  • flooding: caused by heavy downpour which causes river discharge to increase

-landslides: water infiltrates soil and rock making it less stable
90% of landslides are caused by heavy rainfall each year

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4
Q

short term responses to tropical storms

A

evacuations

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5
Q

hurricane case study
location
date
category

A

USA hurricane Sandy
22nd October 2012- 2nd November 2012
category 3

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6
Q

hurricane sandy pattern

A
  • started off the coast of Africa
  • travelled north west across the Atlantic ocean through the Caribbean
  • reached the east coast of the USA
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7
Q

how are tropical storms measured

A
  • classified using the Saffir-Simpson Scale which is based on wind speed and estimated damage
  • 119km/h(category 1)
  • category 5 is the strongest and category 1 is the weakest
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8
Q

frequency of tropical storms

A
  • around 100 per year
  • some never reach land
  • 5.9 become actual storms
  • storms in the northern hemisphere occur between june and november
  • storms in the southern hemisphere occur between november and april
  • tropical storms are irregular
  • they can be identified with satellite imagery allowing them to be predicted
  • no evidence for increasing frequency or intensity
  • 9/10 largest storm have occurred in the last 2 decades
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9
Q

6 social impacts of the hurricane sandy

A
  • 433 deaths in total
  • 147 direct deaths
  • 72 in the USA
  • 54 in Haiti
  • 11 in Cuba
  • 215 patients evacuated from the New York University Langone Medical Centre due to power failure
  • 8.5 million homes and businesses left without power
  • supermarkets ran out of essentials in Washington DC
  • marathon cancelled resulting in a loss of income
  • 32 million forced out of their homes temporarily or permanently
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10
Q

4 economic impacts of the hurricane sandy

A
  • caused $71 billion in damages
  • New York’s economic loss of $18 million
  • 18,000 flights cancelled
  • crops lost resulting in an economic loss for farmers
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11
Q

6 environmental impacts of the hurricane sandy

A
  • shanty towns in Haiti washed away
  • fallen trees and floods affected wildlife habitats
  • untreated sewage washed into public drinking water
  • more than 70% of crops in south Haiti destroyed
  • transport infrastructure destroyed
  • 10m of beach lost in parts of New Jersey
  • winds up to 185km/h
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12
Q

what prior management did the US put in place for hurricane sandy
(4 points)

A
  • the USA national hurricane centre predicted and monitored the hurricane path
  • centre issued warnings to local authorities
  • police evacuated thousands of people
  • President Obama signed for emergency declarations
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13
Q

3 short term responses for hurricane sandy

A

-local authorities issued warnings
-satellites used to monitor hurricane
-$50.5 billion hurricane sandy relief bill signed by president Obama
-

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14
Q 
cyclone case study
name
location
date
category
A

cyclone Nargis
bay of Bengal, Myanmar
may 2nd 2008
category 4

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15
Q

cyclone Nargis path

A
  • formed in the bay of bengal in the last week of april 2008
  • as it approached Myanmar it strengthened to a category 4
  • may 2nd it hit Myanmar with wind speeds of around 215km/h and a storm surge of 5m
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16
Q

7 social impacts of cyclone nargis

A
  • estimated death toll of 138,000
  • 50,000 people still missing
  • lack of food and water for survivors
  • disease outbreak caused more death
  • 2.4 million severely effected
  • 1,163 temples destroyed
  • 1 million+ left homeless
17
Q

3 economic impacts of cyclone nargis

A
  • $10 billion in damages
  • flooding of rice fields cost people their livelihoods and income
  • 75% of buildings collapsed
18
Q

5 environmental impacts of cyclone nargis

A
  • rice fields flooded on the Irrawaddy delta
  • 2008 and 2009 harvest destroyed
  • strong winds up to 217km/h
  • 7.6m storm surge
  • flood waters moved 40-50km inland
19
Q

what prior management did Myanmar put in place for Cyclone Nargis
(3 points)

A
  • no dedicated hurricane monitoring system
  • Indian weather agencies warned Myanmar government 48 hours before the cyclone hit
  • no emergency plans, evacuations or early warning systems
20
Q

long term responses to hurricane sandy

3 points

A
  • 2013: New York - rebranding ‘a stronger more resilient new York’ which was a plan to rebuild impacted communities
  • USA invested in flood prevention and coastal protection schemes
  • August 2013 the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force released the report Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy
21
Q

how vulnerable was the USA to Hurricane sandy

4 points

A
  • earthquakes and hurricanes had struck before so people had experience
  • safe homes program in south Carolina decreases vulnerability for home owners
  • in north Carolina houses sat on dunes making them more vulnerable as the dunes eroded
22
Q

5 short term responses to cyclone Nargis

A
  • initially the government refused international aid
  • 7th may aid was accepted
  • aid workers were not allowed in until the 19th o may
  • U.K gave $17 million in aid and an international relief team
  • USA donated $41million and sent help form the red cross
23
Q

5 ways cyclone Nargis has affected Myanmar

A
  • began collaborating with other countries
  • improved national forecasting
  • 87% of people have smart phones and receive warnings via an app compared to 3% in 2008
  • 2010 citizens were able to vote - country had its first elected leader in 2 decades
  • joined Paris agreement on climate change
24
Q

how has hurricane sandy affected the USA

3 points

A
  • 1 in 5 families had not returned home
  • 1/2 of New Jersey residents are unhappy with sate recovery
  • 1/3 admit that they now struggle to pay for food, fuel and bills
25
Q

response and risk management to storm Hazards: prevention

A
  • in current climate and weather conditions tropical storms cannot be avoided
  • strategies to mitigate climate change could prevent higher category storms
26
Q

response and risk management to storm Hazards: preparedness

A
  • awareness via education of what do in the event of a tropical storm
  • evacuation plans and training
  • satellite image tracking manage areas at risk
  • storm warning system and television broadcasts tracking the storm
27
Q

response and risk management to storm Hazards: mitigation

A
  • search and rescue, emergency aid, evacuation
  • strengthening the home with door barricades, roof strengthening
  • clearing loose debris before storms.
28
Q

response and risk management to storm Hazards: adaption

A
  • move away from areas at risk
  • design buildings to withstand high winds and flood damage
  • flood defenses like houses on stilts, coastal walls, river levees
29
Q

5 ways Myanmar was vulnerable to cyclone Nargis

A
  • country was suffering from 5 years of internal conflict
  • only 2.2% of Myanmar’s GDP went towards healthcare in rural areas
  • poor sanitation in rural areas
  • 1/4 households live below the poverty line
  • deforestation of Mangroves on coastline made the storm surge worse
30
Q

tropical storm description

A
  • low pressure environments that form between the tropics
  • up to 700km in diameter
  • eye is calm - sinking air
  • eyewall - most destructive
  • cloud banks
31
Q

conditions needed to form tropical storms

A
  • waters at least 27 degrees Celsius - source of heat and water
  • ocean depth of at least 50m - provides latent heat
  • wind direction needs to be uniform - allows intensity and height to grow
  • atmospheric instability
  • Coriolis effect/ rotation of earth- doesn’t occur at equator

aqa a level geography: physical (17 decks)

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