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GCSE AQA Geography > Topic 3 - Weather Hazards > Flashcards

Topic 3 - Weather Hazards Flashcards

Unit 1: Living with the Physical Environment (Section A - The Challenge of Natural Hazards)

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1
Q

What is Global Atmospheric Circulation?

A

The movement of air around the Earth to try and balance the temperature and air presure

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2
Q

What is Atmosphere?

A

The air above our heads: a mass of swirling gases, liquids and solids, such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, water vapour and droplets, and ash

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3
Q

What is latitude used to do?

A

Find how far north or south a place is. These lines of latitude run parallel to the equator

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4
Q

What are the 5 major lines of latitude?

A
  • Arctic circle (North Pole)
  • Antarctic circle (South Pole)
  • Tropic of Cancer
  • Tropic of Capricorn
  • Equator
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5
Q

What is insolation?

A

Incoming solar radiation

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6
Q

What type of latitude are the equator and poles at?

A

The equator is low latitude, which is warmer, and the poles are high latitude, which is colder

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7
Q

How does latitude impact global weather?

A

Latitude impacts global weather, by it being wet/rainy at low pressure areas, and dry at high pressure areas. It also impacts global weather due to the fact that the earth is tilted on its axis, and the earth revolves around the sun over the course of 1 year. This means that Antarctica has 6 months of light and 6 months of darkness.

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8
Q

How much more sunlight with the equator get than the poles?

A

The equator will get much more sunlight than the poles, as the equator is the closest to the sun, in terms of the distance needed to travel, and the poles are further away, so they get less sunlight. This is because there is more atmosphere that the sun’s rays have to travel through, and more heat energy is lost whilst doing so.

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9
Q

What is a cyclone?

A

A cyclone is where there is low pressure (converging air)

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10
Q

What is an anticyclone?

A

An anticyclone is high pressure (diverging air)

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11
Q

What zones does wind blow from and to?

A

Winds blow from high pressure zones to low pressure zones

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12
Q

What is low air pressure?

A

Air that’s rising from the ground surface forms areas of low pressure on the ground, e.g., at the equator. Winds on the ground move towards these areas of low pressure.

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13
Q

What is high air pressure?

A

Air that’s sinking towards the ground surface forms areas of high pressure, e.g., at the North Pole. Winds on the ground move outwards from these areas.

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14
Q

Does cold or hot air travel quicker?

A

Cold air travels quicker than hot air, as it pushes the hot air away as it is heavier

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15
Q

What are surface winds?

A

Surface winds are very important in transferring heat and moisture from one place to another

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16
Q

What are the 3 cells around the Earth, in order from the Equator?

A

Hadley cell
Polar cell
Ferrel cell

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17
Q

Why is the UK weather like it is?

A
  • Located 55 degrees North
  • Close to the boundary of the cold polar air moving down from the north and warm subtropical air moving up from the south
  • It is cloudy and wet because rising air cools, condenses and forms clouds and rain
  • Surface winds from the south west bring warm and wet conditions
  • Cold polar air from the north moves down over the UK bringing snow and very cold winter weather
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18
Q

Why is the weather in a desert like it is?

A
  • Found 30 degrees north and south of the equator
  • High pressure as the air is sinking, forming very few clouds and rainfall
  • Lack of clouds makes it very hot in the day and cold at night, as heat is quickly lost from the ground
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19
Q

Why is the weather at the equator like it is?

A
  • Rising air
  • Low pressure belt
  • The sun is directly overhead, so it is very hot
  • Cloudy with high rainfall
  • Tropical rainforests are found here
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20
Q

What are doldrums?

A

Doldrums are where the wind is coming from all directions, so often ships get stuck there

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21
Q

In which direction do the North Polar Easterlies go?

A

Clockwise

22
Q

In which direction do the North Prevailing Westerlies go?

A

Clockwise

23
Q

In which direction do the North East Trade Winds go?

A

Clockwise

24
Q

In which direction do the South East Trade Winds go?

A

Anti-clockwise

25
Q

In which direction do the South Prevailing Westerlies go?

A

Anti-clockwise

26
Q

In which direction do the South Polar Easterlies go?

A

Anti-clockwise

27
Q

What is a Tropical Storm?

A

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

28
Q

What is a tropical storm called in the USA and Caribbean?

A

Hurricane

29
Q

What is a tropical storm called in Southeast Asia and Australia?

A

Cyclones

30
Q

What is a tropical storm called in Japan and Philippines?

A

Typhoon

31
Q

What are the conditions needed for a tropical storm to occur?

A
  • Above 27 degrees celsius
  • Low air pressure - air rising up (needs high winds and speed)
  • Over tropical oceans
  • Hot air
  • Summer and autumn (when the sea temperature is at its highest)
  • 5-15 degrees north and south of the equator
  • Intense heat, where the air is unstable, causing it to rise rapidly
32
Q

How do tropical storms form?

A

1)A strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from the warm ocean surface.
2) This evaporated air cools, as it rises and condenses to form towering thunderstorm clouds.
3) As the air condenses it releases heat which powers the storm and draws up more and more water from the ocean.
4) Several smaller thunderstorms join together to form a giant spinning storm. When surface winds reach an average of 120km per hour (75 miles per hour) the storm officially becomes a tropical storm.
5) The storm now develops an eye at its centre where air descends rapidly. The outer edge of the eye is the eyewall where the most intense weather conditions (strong winds and heavy rain) are felt.
6) As the storm is carried across the ocean by the prevailing winds, it continues to gather strength.
7) On reaching land the storm’s energy supply (evaporated water) is cut off. Friction with the land slows it down and it begins to weaken. If the storm reaches warm seas after crossing the land, it may pick up strength again.

33
Q

What is the structure of a tropical storm?

A
  • The middle is called the Eye
  • Rain bands on either side
  • Warm rising air through the Eye
  • At the top, there is an outflow cirrus shield
34
Q

What are tropical storms measured by?

A

The Saffir-Simpson Scale

35
Q

What are the categories and wind speeds on the Saffir-Simpson scale?

A
  • Category 5: >252 km/h
  • Category 4: 209 - 251 km/h
  • Category 3: 178 - 208 km/h
  • Category 2: 154 - 177 km/h
  • Category 1: 119 - 153 km/h
36
Q

What were the primary effects of Typhoon Haiyan?

A
  • About 6300 people killed - most drowned by the storm surge.
  • Over 600 000 people displaced and 40000 homes damaged or flattened - 90% of Tacloban city destroyed.
  • Tacloban airport terminal badly damaged.
  • The typhoon destroyed 30,000 fishing boats.
  • Strong winds damaged buildings and power lines and destroyed crops.
  • Over 400mm of rain caused widespread flooding.
37
Q

What were the secondary effects of Typhoon Haiyan?

A
  • 14 million people affected, many left homeless and 6 million people lost their source of income.
  • Flooding caused landslides and blocked roads, cutting off aid to remote communities.
  • Power supplies in some areas cut off for a month.
  • Ferry services and airline flights disrupted for weeks, slowing down aid efforts.
  • Shortages of water, food and shelter affected many people, leading to outbreaks of disease.
  • Many jobs lost, hospitals were damaged, shops and schools were destroyed, affecting people’s livelihoods and education.
  • Looting and violence broke out in Tacloban.
38
Q

What were the immediate responses to Typhoon Haiyan?

A
  • International government and aid agencies responded quickly with food aid, water and temporary shelters.
  • US aircraft carrier George Washington and helicopters assisted with search and rescue and delivery of aid.
  • Over 1200 evacuation centres were set up to help the homeless.
  • The UK government sent shelter kits, each one able to provide emergency shelter for a family.
  • French, Belgian and Israeli field hospitals set up to help the injured. The Philippines Red Cross delivered basic food aid, which included rice, canned food, sugar, salt and cooking oil.
39
Q

What were the long-term responses to Typhoon Haiyan?

A
  • The UN and countries including the UK, Australia, Japan and the US donated financial aid, supplies and medical support.
  • Rebuilding of roads, bridges and airport facilities.
  • ‘Cash for work’ programmes - people were paid to help clear debris and rebuild the city.
  • Foreign donors, including the US, Australia and the EU, supported new livelihood opportunities.
  • Rice farming and fishing quickly re-established. Coconut production - where trees may take five years to bear fruit- will take longer.
  • Aid agencies such as Oxfam supported the replacement of fishing boats - a vital source of income.
  • Thousands of homes have been built away from areas at risk from flooding.
  • More cyclone shelters built to accommodate people evacuated from coastal areas.
40
Q

How can you monitor and predict a tropical storm?

A
  • Hurricane Watch: advises that hurricane conditions are possible.
  • Hurricane Warning: advises that hurricane conditions are expected and that people should take immediate action (e.g. evacuate to high ground or take shelter).
41
Q

How can you protect yourselves and property from a tropical storm?

A
  • Windows, doors and roofs are reinforced to strengthen buildings to withstand strong winds.
  • Storm drains constructed in urban areas to take away excessive amounts of rainfall and prevent flooding.
  • Sea walls built to protect key properties from storm surges.
  • Houses close to the coast constructed on stilts so that a storm surge will pass beneath.
  • In Bangladesh nearly 2000 cyclone shelters have been built
42
Q

How can you plan for a tropical storm?

A

Raising individual and community awareness (e.g., in America, there is a National Hurricane Preparedness Week)

43
Q

What are the weather hazards in the UK?

A
  • Thunderstorms (e.g., July 2014)
  • Prolonged rainfall (e.g., winter of 2014)
  • Drought and extreme heat (e.g., 2019)
  • Heavy snow and extreme cold
  • Strong winds (e.g., February 2014)
44
Q

Why does extreme weather occur in the UK?

A
  • Arctic air can bring heavy snow and bitterly cold conditions
  • Severe weather can come from the East
  • Hot and sunny weather from the south can lead to heatwaves and drought
  • Storms from the Atlantic bring heavy rain and strong winds
45
Q

Where are the Somerset levels?

A

Somerset is a county in south-west England. The Somerset Levels and the Somerset Moors form an extensive area of low-lying farmland and wetlands bordered by the Bristol Channel and Quantock Hills to the west and the Mendip Hills to the north.

46
Q

What caused the Somerset Floods in 2014?

A
  • It was the wettest January since records began in 1910. A succession of depressions (areas of low pressure) driven across the Atlantic Ocean brought a period of wet weather lasting several weeks. About 350 mm of rain fell in January and February, about 100 mm above average.
  • High tides and storm surges swept water up the rivers from the Bristol Channel. This prevented fresh water reaching the sea and it spilled over the river banks.
  • Rivers had not been dredged for at least 20 years, and had become clogged with sediment.
47
Q

What were the social impacts of the Somerset Floods in 2014?

A
  • Over 600 houses flooded
  • 16 farms evacuated
  • Some residents evacuated to temporary accommodation for several months
  • Villages such as Moorland and Muchelney cut off. This affected people’s daily lives, e.g. attending school, shopping, etc.
  • Many people had power supplies cut off
48
Q

What were the economic impacts of the Somerset Floods in 2014?

A
  • Somerset County Council estimated the cost of flood damage to be more than £10 million
  • Over 14,000 hectares of agricultural land under water for 3-4 weeks
  • Over 1,000 livestock evacuated
  • Local roads cut off by floods
  • Bristol to Taunton railway line closed at Bridgwater
49
Q

What were the environmental impacts of the Somerset Floods in 2014?

A
  • Floodwaters were heavily contaminated with sewage and other pollutants including oil and chemicals
  • A huge amount of debris had to be cleared
  • Stagnant water that had been collected for months had to be reoxygenated before being pumped back into the rivers
50
Q

What were the immediate responses of the Somerset Floods in 2014?

A
  • As the floodwaters spread out over the Somerset Levels, homeowners coped as best they could
  • Villagers cut off by the floods used boats to go shopping or attend school
51
Q

What were the secondary responses of the Somerset Floods in 2014?

A
  • In March 2014, 8km of the Rivers Tone and Parratt were dredged to increase the capacity of the river channel
  • Road levels have been raised in places to maintain communications and enable businesses to continue during future flood events
  • Communities vulnerable to flooding will have flood defences
  • River banks are being raised and strengthened and more pumping stations will be built
  • In the longer term (by 2024) consideration will be given to a tidal barrage at Bridgwater
52
Q

Why might extreme weather events be on the increase?

A
  • More energy in the atmosphere could lead to more intense storms.
  • The atmospheric circulation may be affected, bringing floods to normally dry regions and heatwaves to normally cooler areas.

GCSE AQA Geography (25 decks)

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