Tropical Storms & Extreme Weather (uk) 🌪 Flashcards
Describe the general atmospheric circulation model
Top and bottom: high pressure
Equator: low pressure
Tropic of Cancer & Capricorn: high pressure
The weather cell
Hot air rises> air cools> cold air sinks> cool air replaces cold air
Low pressure
If air is warm it expands and rises meaning it is less dense and we get clouds and rain
High-pressure
Air is cold and sinks because it is more dense. We get good weather, no clouds the rain
Structure of the hurricane from inside out
The eye> the eye wall> spiral rainbands
The eye of the storm
Calm normal weather, clear skies
Eye wall
Maximum wind speeds up to 225mph
Spiral Rainbands
The outer edges of the hurricane, winds start from 70 mph with driving rain
Conditions tropical storms need to form
- Over oceans
- Ocean temp over 26.5 degrees
- Water heated to a depth of several metres
What are tropical storms
Very intense areas of low pressure approximately 500 to 1000 km in diameter
Typhoon Haiyan
Phillipines, south east asia and several towns such as Tacloban
3 Nov 2013- 11 Nov 2013
Category 5
Haiyan: primary effects
6500 were killed
90% of Tacloban was destroyed
30,000 fishing boats destroyed
600,000 people displaced
Haiyan: secondary effects
14 million effected
6 million lost their source of income
Flooding caused blocked roads and landslides
Some had no electricity for 1 month +
Shortage of water, shelter and food
Haiyan: short term responses
12000+ evacuation centres were set up for homeless
Field hospitals
Phillipines Red Cross delivered basic food and water
Haiyan: long term responses
‘Cash for work’ programmes were set up
Cyclone shelters built in costal areas
Thousands of homes built away from areas of flooding
Weather
The day-to-day condition of the atmosphere-wet, windy, cloudy, warm, cold
Climate
Based on the average weather conditions over 30 years +
Uk weather?
Becomeing more extreme as extreme events are becoming more frequent
When was the Beast from the East
Feb 28th - Mar 2nd 2018
How many were killed in the beast from the east?
10
What were the primary effects of the beast from the east
15- 20 cm of snow fell over the 3 days
Winds in excess of 70mph
Snow drifts in excess of 7m in rural areas
Hundreds stranded for up to 36hrs on the M80 and A roads in Devon
Crops damaged
What were the secondary effects of the beast from the east
Uk issued a gas ‘deficit’ warning
NHS cancelled non urgent operations and clinics
Trains stranded on tracks overnight in Dorset
Thousands of homes without power
Schools closed for up to 3 days
Flights cancelled
What were the short term responses of the beast from the east
Armed forces diploid to reduce drivers and drive nhs workers to work
Taxi firms offering to shop for elderly
Met office issued red weather warning to stop travel
Government asked businesses to reduce gas usage over the days
Red Cross issuing blankets to people stranded at Glasgow airport
What were the long term responses of the beast from the east
Met office reviewed effectiveness of their warnings, finding them to be good
