Tropical Storms

Question 1

What is a tropical storm?

Answer 1

A violent rotating storm that occurs at the mid latitudes (i.e. the tropics), between 5-30 degrees north/south of the equator

Question 2

What are the names of the 3 tropical storms (depending on where in the world they occur)?

Answer 2

Cyclone
Hurricane
Typhoon

Question 3

Describe the distribution of tropical storms

Answer 3

• there is none in South America
• they occur in the tropics (cancer/capricorn)
• they form just over the sea
• occur just after the summer months in an area

Question 4

What are the reasons for their distribution?

Answer 4

• over the sea as the warm temperatures of over 27 degrees in order to form
• just after the summer months as this is when the sea is at its warmest
• they arnt forming in the Atlantic or Antarctica oceans as the sea is never warm enough

Question 5

What is the first step to forming a tropical storm?

Answer 5

Strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from the warm ocean surface

Question 6

What is the second step in the formation of a tropical storm?

Answer 6

The evaporated air cool as it rises and condenses to form towering thunderstorm clouds

Question 7

What is the third step in the formation of a topical storm?

Answer 7

Condensing air releases energy which powers the storm and draws up more water

Question 8

What is the forth step in the formation of a tropical storm?

Answer 8

Several small thunderstorms combine to form a giant spinning storm. Surface winds exceed 120km/h and a tropical storm is officially born

Question 9

What is the fifth step of the formation of tropical storm?

Answer 9

Storm develops an eye where air rapidly descends. Most intense winds are found in the eye wall on the edge of the eye

Question 10

What is the sixth step of the formation of topical storm?

Answer 10

Storm is carried across the warm ocean and continues to gather strength and energy

Question 11

What is the last step in the formation of a tropical storm?

Answer 11

Upon landfall the storms energy supply is cut off/ friction with the land slows and weakens it. If the storm reaches warm water again it may regain some strength

Question 12

Why do tropical storms rotate?

Answer 12

The Coriolis effect is caused by the coriolis force which deflects objects within rotating systems (the earth is tilted to storm cant go in a straight line)

Question 13

How can you predict tropical storms using a map of them?

Answer 13

1) it shows the average track of the tropical storm so people that live in the areas which are on the path of the storm should prepare
2) says which months of the year they are likely to take place in
3) tells us the frequency of them, so if it’s likely that only 1 will taker place per year in an area then once they have had one that year they are less likely to experience another one

Question 14

How do we use aircraft’s and drones to monitor tropical storms?

Answer 14

• they can gauge wind speeds, pressure, rainfall and snow
• they also release sensors called dropsondes which are dropped from the aircraft into the storm and send back data in real time to earth to improve forecasting models

Question 15

Why are satellites of benefit for hurricane monitoring?

Answer 15

• they watch hurricanes from orbit, snapping visual imaging of swirling clouds and measuring weather patterns. They also track temp inside a storm, cloud heights and wind speeds

Question 16

Why have computer models been incredibly useful n monitoring tropical storms?

Answer 16

• they can hold huge amounts of data at once rather than a human trying to remember data
• lots of data can be instantly fed into a computer which can then predict what will happen next with previous data as evidence

Question 17

What scale do we use to measure tropical storms?

Answer 17

Saffir- Simpson Scale

Question 18

How many categories are there in the SSS?

Answer 18

• they are 5:
  1) very dangerous winds will produce some damage
  2) extremely dangerous winds will cause extensive damage
  3) devastating damage will occur
  4) catastrophic damage will occur
  5) catastrophic damage will occur

Question 19

Why do category 1 storms have the highest frequency?

Answer 19

As they need to generate the least amount of energy therefore it takes less time for the process to take place

Question 20

What are the benefits of using a simple categorisation scale such as the sss?

Answer 20

Easy for everyone to interpret, and therefore because people can understand it they are able to prepare for the tropical storm to the extent they need to

Question 21

Why might issuing warnings lead to better preparedness and adaptation?

Answer 21

It means people have more time to get ready/prepare for the tropical storm to take place and hopefully that means they can lessen the effect of the storm hitting

Question 22

What are the hazards associated with tropical storms?

Answer 22

Heavy rainfall + river flooding
Strong winds
Landslides
Storm serges

Question 23

How might high wind spreads kill you?

Answer 23

They can make rubbish and debris fly into people or property
Trees and buildings may fall down

Question 24

What is the problem with large amounts of rainfall during tropical storms?

Answer 24

The increased amount of water can create large waves on top of the surge which can cause damage to sea defences and adds to flood risk… people can then die by drowning

Question 25

What is a storm surge and how are they hazardous?

Answer 25

• they are the abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm, as low pressure near eye pulls water higher and the winds pile up water and push it toward the shore.
• they are dangerous as the battering waves may erode beaches and damage buildings, also they can begin before the storm hits, cutting off escape routes

Question 26

What are strong winds caused by and which areas do they mostly affect?

Answer 26

They are caused by friction, atmospheric pressure and air warming. They mostly affect coastal areas as they often get stronger wind speeds.

Question 27

What are landslides and how are they formed?

Answer 27

A mass movement such as rock, earth, debris down a slope. They are formed when the force of gravity acting on a slope exceeds the resisting forces of a slope, the slope will then then fail and a landslide occurs

Question 28

What are the areas at higher risk of landslides and why?

Answer 28

Mountainous areas, places with saturated soil and course soil and areas that lack vegetation. This is because there is less friction in steep areas. Happen in saturated soil areas as the base of the slope gets eroded and gravity pulls it down

Question 29

What is heavy rainfall and how is it formed?

Answer 29

High amounts of rainfall in a short period of time, accompanied with short warning times. Formed when the volume of water exceeds the maximum capacity of a river so it overflows.

Question 30

What areas are at higher risk of flooding and why?

Answer 30

Areas at the bottom of a hill, as water runs down hill quickly and gathers at the bottom. Urban areas, as grown is impermeable so water cant sink into the soil. Areas with poor drainage systems

Question 31

Give an example of heavy rainfall and high winds caused by a tropical storm:

Answer 31

Hurricane Ida, Louisiana USA
29th August
It brought wind speeds of 277km/h and between 120 and 250 mm of rainfall