tropical storms

Question 1

What are the 3 different names for tropical storms and where are their different locations?

Answer 1

Hurricanes- Atlantis and East Pacific ocean
Cyclones- Indian and south pacific oceans
Typhoons- North pacific ocean

Question 2

Give 4 facts about the conditions required for tropical storms to form

Answer 2

• form over areas of deep water, at least 70 m deep
• form over warm water, above 27^0 C
• Most form 5-15 ^0 N/S of the equator- because at the equator there is not enough spin from the rotation of the earth.
• Low wind shear- wind stays relatively constant with height (important so it doesn’t tare apart the storm clouds)
• Tropical regions- intense heat makes the air unstable
• Coriolis effect occurring

Question 3

Give the basic sequence of the formation of tropical storms

Answer 3

1. air heated above the surface of the water on oceans rises under low pressure
2. Rising air draws up more air and moisture- causes strong wind
3. Coriolis effect causes the air to spin around a central calm eye
4. The rising air cools, condenses and forms huge cumulonimbus clouds generating torrential rain
5. Cold air sink in the eye- lack of cloud and a calm dry area
6. The tropical storm travels across the ocean in the prevailing wind
7. Once it reaches the land the storm isn’t fuelled by moisture/heat from the ocean ( loses its power and weakens)

Question 4

Which ways do hurricanes spin in the northern hemisphere?

Answer 4

anti-clockwise

Question 5

which ways do hurricanes spin in the southern hemisphere?

Answer 5

clockwise

Question 6

How is climate change expected to the change the distribution, frequency and intensity of tropical storms?

Answer 6

Distribution: not expected to change
Frequency: likely to stay the same or decrease (but expected to be a greater number of more severe storms (4 or 5)
Intensity: expected to become ore intense and more category 4/5 storms

Question 7

What is the scale called that is used to measure the size of tropical storms? and how does it work?

Answer 7

The scale is know as the Saffir- Simpson scale- it is based on wind speed. The higher the category scale the higher the intensity of the storm.

Question 8

Where and when did typhoon Haiyan strike?

Answer 8

7th November 2013

Philippines in SE Asia

Question 9

What category on the Saffir-Simpson scale was typhoon Haiyan and what wind speeds were reached?

Answer 9

Category 5 and winds speeds of between 170-190mph were reached

Question 10

List 5 primary effects of typhoon Haiyan

Answer 10

6300 deaths
400mm of rain- led to widespread flooding
40,00 homes destroyed
14 million affected in total- 4 million homeless
90% of Tacloban city was destroyed by winds and 5 m storm surge
Widespread damage to infrastructure