tropical rainstorms Flashcards
what is circulation
circular air movements called cells
these cells all join together to form the overall circulation of the earths atmosphere
what is global atmospheric circulation
movement of air around the earth to try and balance the temperature
what does high pressure system mean
air sinks and air pressure rises
clear sky and sun
what does low pressure system create
air rises and forms clouds
this will bring precipitation (rain, hail, sleet, snow)
what happens in a hadley cell
at equator, the sun warms the earth causing air to rise
air rising means low pressure bringing clouds and rain
as it rises and cools, it moves to 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south of the equator (tropic of cancer and capricorn)
this creates the hadley cell
global atmospheric circulation
at equator, the sun warms the earth causing air to rise
air rising means low pressure bringing clouds and rain
as air rises and cools, it moves 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south of the equator (tropic of cancer and capricorn) —> this creates the hadley cell
the cool air sinks creating high pressure
high pressure —> cloudless skies and low rainfall
cool air reaches the surface and moves as surface winds either back to the equator or poles
towards equator —> trade winds
towards poles —> westerlies
at 60 degrees north and south of the equator, the equator surface winds meet colder air from the poles. this is less dense so it rises
at the poles, the cool air sinks cresting high pressure
high pressure air is drawn back towards the equator as surface winds
what is the atmosphere
air above our heads: a mass of swirling liquids and solids such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, water vapour and droplets and ash
what do surface winds do
transfer heat and moisture from one place to another
Name the 3 main cells in the global atmospheric circulation model?
- Hadley Cell
- Ferrell Cell
- Polar Cell
Where do surface winds blow from and to?
Winds blow from high pressure areas to low pressure areas
What is a tropical storm?
Tropical storms are also known as hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones. They are huge storms that form between the tropics.
Describe the global distribution of tropical storms
• In a band around the equator
• Within the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn
• They are rare in the South Atlantic
Why do tropical storms form between the tropics?
• The ocean temperatures are warm enough (27°C)
• There is enough intense heating of the ocean to cause warm air to rise rapidly
Tropical storms in the North Atlantic region are known as?
hurricanes
Tropical storms in southeast Asia and Australia are known as?
cyclones
Tropical storms in Japan and the Philippines are known as?
typhoons
What are the conditions required for a tropical storm to form?
• Warm water (above 27°C)
• 60 meter deep water
• Coriolis effect
• Low pressure so air can rise —> form clouds
- Between 5 degrees north and 30 degrees south of the equator
Which force causes tropical storms to spin?
Coriolis
What are conditions like the the eye of a tropical storm?
calm
Which part of a tropical storm has the most severe winds?
eye wall
How wide can tropical storms be?
up to 300km
sequence of tropical storm formation
- 27 degrees ocean water warms the air directly above it
- Air rises and condenses to form clouds —> this leaves room for more air to rise
- Coriolis effect causes air to spin anti-clockwise in the northern hemisphere
- Storm travels west then north in the northern hemisphere
- The storm slows down when jr gets to land because the energy supply from water is cut off
characteristics of a tropical storm
characteristics of a tropical storm
eye wall —> very strong winds, heavy rainfall
centre of storm called the eye —> up to 50km —> light wind, no rain
cloud top height can be up to 15km
when was typhoon haiyan and where
8th november 2013 in the philippines
category 5 storm
fact about typhoon haiyan
one of the most powerful storms ever recorded
wind speeds up to 300km per hour