Tropical Storms

Question 1

Characteristics of a tropical storm (pressure system, rain, winds)

Answer 1

Torrential rain
Intense low pressure weather systems
Strong winds
All spiral round the middle

Question 2

What water temperature is required for tropical storm to the form? What occurs to wind speeds between upper and lower atmosphere?

Answer 2

26.5°C or warmer

there’s a small difference in wind speeds between the upper atmosphere and the lower atmosphere.

Question 3

What is the Coriolis effect? And what causes it

Answer 3

tropical storms move from east to west.
The spin of the earth causes tropical storms to spin by deflecting winds

Question 4

What are the winds at the equator?

Answer 4

Trade winds

Question 5

What is the storms centre known as?

Answer 5

Eye of the storm

Question 6

The eye wall surrounds all sides of the eye of the storm. What are the weather conditions like in the eye wall?

Answer 6

hot air rises, winds are very strong and there is a lot of rain.

Question 7

What are the 3 parts of a storm

Answer 7

Eye, eye wall and edges

Question 8

How wide is the eye? What are the other weather conditions?

Answer 8

can be 50km wide. In the eye, there is no rain and low pressure (and a warmer ground temperature).

Question 9

What is the effect of warmer oceans on the strength of a tropical storm?

Answer 9

The higher the temperatures of the oceans, the more energy tropical storms will accumulate, the greater the intensity of the storm.

Question 10

What are the primary effects of tropical storms?
IMMEDIATELY, during the natural disaster

Answer 10

Damage to infrastructure - transport networks, railway lines, roads
Flights and train journeys are often cancelled because high winds make travel dangerous.
Flying debris blown by the winds can kill or injure people.
Electricity cables and pylons above ground can be damaged by wind or debris.
Rivers and coastal towns can be flooded

Question 11

Secondary effects of tropical storms

Answer 11

Floods damage people’s houses causing homelessness. Without finding shelter, people could freeze to death outside.
If water or electricity supplies are cut off, people can become isolated and stranded from basic health requirements. This can cause illness and viruses to spread.
People may not be able to get work and earn money if airports and train lines are damaged.
Damaged roads, airports, and train lines could stop aid and emergency services helping those affected.
Damage to crops, the death of livestock, and the blocking of supply lines can all contribute to food shortages