Storm Hazards Flashcards
What is a tropical storm?
A violent rotating storm which occurs at mid latitudes, i.e the tropics
How do tropical storms form?
- A strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from the warm ocean surface (27 degrees +)
- This evaporated air cool as it rises and forms thunderstorm clouds
- Condensing air releases energy which powers the storm and draws up even more water
- Several small thunderstorms combine to form a giant spinning storm
- Storm develops an eye where air rapidly descends
- Upon landfall, storm loses energy and it slows and weakens
Where are hurricanes found?
Over the USA and Caribbean
Where are cyclones found? (4)
South East Asia
South Pacific
India
East Africa
Where are typhoons found ?
Japan and the Philippines
When do tropical storms form?
After the warmest months of the year, when sea temperatures are highest
Where are the strongest winds found?
eyewall
What is the Coreolis force?
Deflects objects in a rotating system, due to the Earth’s rotations
Which way does the Coreolis force deflect objects in the Northern hemisphere?
To the right - so they move upwards in the globe
Which way does the Coreolis force deflect objects in the Southern hemisphere?
To the left, so they move downwards on the globe
What is a storm surge?
an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tides
How are storm surges formed?
When the storm blows the ocean surface and creates vertical circulation in the water, which gains height in shallower water
Which areas are at risk from storm surges?
Lowland coastal areas
What factors can affect storm surges?
Storm intensity, speed and size as well as coastal features such as bays and estuaries
what are strong winds formed by storms?
When pressure changes rapidly over a small distance, and air flows from high-pressure to low pressure
Which areas are at risk from strong winds?
Coastal regions, as the storm looses energy once it reaches land
How are the strongest winds created?
By the biggest differences in pressure
What are landslides?
Involves the movement of rock, earth or debris, can be caused by heavy rain
Why can particular areas land slide?
When they have 2 separate layers, one of stable bed rock and another of loose, unconsolidated sediment
What is a common form of disaster associated with tropical storms?
Heavy rainfall and flooding
Where does the heaviest rain occur?
In the eyewall
Why do floods occur?
Because the ground becomes saturated with the heavy rain and then water builds up and rivers burst their banks
How can storms be predicted?
Future events can be predicted using ones in the past and the frequency of storms can also show patterns
What can be used to gauge wind speeds, pressure and precipitation?
Aircraft and drones
How can meteorologists help people to prepare?
By giving a picture of the flooding of weather systems a storm may cause and the area it may hit
How can satellites be useful?
They track the storm and give a hemispheric view of it, as well as 3D images and sea surface temperatures
What temperature must the sea surface be for a storm to form?
28 degrees
What is a category 1 storm?
Very dangerous winds produce some damage, damage to trees and power lines as well as some homes
What is a category 5 storm?
Catastrophic damage will occur, high percentage of homes destroyed, total roof failure and wall collapse, power outages
What scale is used to categorise storms?
The Saffir-Simpson Scale
What do wind speeds have to reach to be a category 5 storm?
157mph
What is done by the US Air Force and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration?
They fly aircraft’s through storms to gauge wind speeds, barometric pressure, rainfall and snow as well as dropping sensors which fall through the storm and send back data
Which is the most useful satellite for monitoring storms?
The TRMM satellite - Tropical Rainforest Monitoring Mission
What has TRMM helped to discover?
Eyeball ‘hot towers’ through its CT scans if storms
What are eyeball ‘hot towers’?
Rainclouds that reach the lowest layer of the atmosphere, bringing heat to high altitudes
