The nature of storm hazards

Question 1

What is a tropical storm?

Answer 1

a localised, very intense low-pressure wind system, forming over tropical oceans and with winds of hurricane forces

Question 2

What part of the world is hurricanes?

Answer 2

Atlantic

Question 3

What part of the world is typhoons?

Answer 3

western pacific

Question 4

What part of the world is cyclones?

Answer 4

Australia and western pacific

Question 5

What temperature does oceans have to be?

Answer 5

27 degrees celcius

Question 6

How deep should the ocean be?

Answer 6

70m

Question 7

In what direction do they rotate?

Answer 7

anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere
clockwise in the southern hemisphere

Question 8

Do they have a low or high pressure?

Answer 8

low

Question 9

How fast is the wind speeds?

Answer 9

between 120 and 350km/h

Question 10

What is the frequency of tropical storms?

Answer 10

constantly fluctuating, but they are now more intense due to climate change leading to global warming- rising sea surface temperatures

Question 11

How do tropical storms form?

Answer 11

• the warm ocean means evaporation takes place and the air and water vapour rises
• as the air rises the temperature then cools, causing the water vapour to condense which creates clouds
• when it condenses it releases latent heat which powers the storm
• then the cooler air rushes into the top of the storm to fill the low pressure gap
• this creates high winds and the lower the pressure gets the stronger the winds are
• then the storm moves towards land due to the earths rotation (coriolis force)
• as they pass over land they loose energy

Question 12

What is the name for the earths rotation?

Answer 12

Coriolis force

Question 13

What are the hazards associated with tropical storms?

Answer 13

strong winds, storm surges, coastal and river flooding, landslides