Tropical Storms Flashcards
What is a Tropical Storm?
It’s a rapidly rotating storm system characterised by a low-pressure centre, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of clouds that produce heavy rain.
What are some different names of a Tropical storm?
Hurricane, Typhoon, Tropical cyclone, cyclonic storm, Tropical, depression, and cylcone.
What temperature are they formed at?
26 degrees Celsius
Where are Tropical storms formed?
Over warm ocean but not over the Equator and during summer.
How are they formed?
As air rises over a warm ocean, water is evaporated quickly and as it rises it cools and condenses to form clouds. Those clouds condense and release latent heat. More water is drawn up from the ocean and clouds continue to grow and the storm intensifies. The storm moves West due to easterly winds at the equator. The storm loses strength as it reaches land as its energy supply of water is cut off.
Why do Tropical Storms have a whirly shape?
They have this shape because of the motion of the Earth’s spin.
How are the conditions in the eye of the storm?
They are calm and not dangerous.
When Tropical Storms reach land they…
loose energy
What are some hurricane hazards?
wind, waves/rip current, tornadoes, storm surge, rainfall/inland flooding
What is a storm surge?
An abnormal rise of water generated by a storm.
What is a storm tide?
It is the water level rise during a storm due to the combination of storm surge and tides.
Why are storm surges dangerous?
they can erode beaches or it can drag you into the ocean or you can drown if you get too close.
What type of effect from a hurricane do you think New Orleans is at risk from and why?
flooding, storm surges
Why is New Orleans vulnerable to flooding?
it lies in a basin below sea level.
What is the river called that runs through New Orleans?
Mississippi
