Tropical Storms

Question 1

Where are tropical storms found?

Answer 1

In the tropics between the Tropic of Cancer 23N and the Tropic of Capricorn 23S

Question 2

What three things are needed to form a tropical storm?

Answer 2

Heat
Moisture
Low frictional drag

Question 3

What are the different names for tropical storms around the world?

Answer 3

Hurricanes
Tropical cyclones
Typhoons
Willy willies

Question 4

What hurricane hit South East USA on the 29th August 2005?

Answer 4

Hurricane Katrina

Question 5

How prepared were the residents of South East USA for Hurricane Katrina?

Answer 5

USA has sophisticated warning system (satellites) - people were warned
Mississippi and Louisiana - States of emergency 26th August - control centres and stockpiled supplies
70-80% New Orleans evacuated before it hit

Question 6

What were the social effects of Hurricane Katrina?

Answer 6

1800 dead
300 000 houses destroyed
3 million left without electricity
Parts of 1-10 bridge collapsed - main route of New Orleans closed

Question 7

What were the economic effects of Hurricane Katrina?

Answer 7

$300 billion damage
230 000 jobs lost from destroyed businesses
30 offshore oil platforms sank or went missing - fuel prices increase
Shops looted in New Orleans

Question 8

What were the environmental effects of Hurricane Katrina?

Answer 8

Flooding destroyed coastal habitats - sea turtle breeding beaches

Question 9

What were the responses to Hurricane Katrina?

Answer 9

Coast guard, police, fire, army and volunteers rescued 50 000 people
25 000 people temporary shelter in Louisiana Superdome
$800 million spent on rebuilding flood defences
$34 billion set aside for rebuilding schools and houses

Question 10

What hurricane hit the Irrawaddy delta in Burma on the 2nd May 2008?

Answer 10

Cyclone Nargis

Question 11

How prepared were the people of Burma for Cyclone Nargis?

Answer 11

No emergency or evacuation plans

No warning

Question 12

What were the social effects of Cyclone Nargis?

Answer 12

140 000 killed
450 000 houses destroyed
2-3 million homeless
1700 schools destroyed

Question 13

What were the economic effects of Cyclone Nargis?

Answer 13

$4 billion damage
200 000 farm animals killed
Crops lost
Over 40% food stores lost

Question 14

What were the environmental effects of Cyclone Nargis?

Answer 14

Coastal habitats damaged - mangrove forests

Salinity of soil increased because of flooding means it’s harder to grow plants

Question 15

What were the responses to Cyclone Nargis?

Answer 15

Aid workers allowed in 3 weeks after it hit - government initially refused foreign aid
UN launched appeal to raise money
Burma relies on International aid to repair the damage
Half a million survivors still living in temporary shelters

Question 16

How hot does the sea water have to be for a hurricane to form?

Answer 16

27 degrees +

Question 17

When do hurricanes happen?

Answer 17

Late summer and autumn

Question 18

What are the characteristics of a tropical storm?

Answer 18

Spin anti-clockwise
Travel west
Circular 
Hundreds of kilometres wide
Last between 7 and 14 days

Question 19

What is it like in the eye of the storm?

Answer 19

50km across 
Very low pressure
Light winds
No cloud or rain
High temperature

Question 20

What’s it like in the eyewall?

Answer 20

Spiralling rising air
Strong winds - 160km per hour
Storm clouds
Torrential rain
Low temperature

Question 21

What’s it like toward the edges of the storm?

Answer 21

Wind speed falls
Clouds are smaller and more scattered
Rain less intense
Temperature increases