Tropical storms (with case studies)

Question 1

What are tropical storms also know as?

Answer 1

Hurricanes
Cyclones
Typhoons

Question 2

How are Tropical storms formed?

Answer 2

• Surface heating leads to water rising creating an area of low pressure
• This sucks in warm air from surroundings into low pressure system which then rises creating clouds and rain
• Rotating wind systems causes the air to rotate as it rises and near the bottom creating a Tropical storm

Question 3

What conditions are required for a tropical storm?

Answer 3

• Ocean temp of 27 degrees
• Ocean depth of 70m
• Occur between 5-20 degrees north or south of the equator

Question 4

How are Tropical storms measured?

Answer 4

Saffir-Simpson scale

Question 5

What do the effects of a tropical storm depend on?

Answer 5

• Intensity of storm
• Distance from sea
• Preparations
• Warning and response
• Physical attributes of place hit

Question 6

What can tropical storms cause?

Answer 6

• Winds over 150 km/h
• Heavy rainfall 200/300 mm
• Storm surges

Question 7

What HIC was hit by a tropical storm?

Answer 7

Hurricane Katrina (southern USA)
August 2005
Category 5

Question 8

What were effects of Hurricane Katrina?

Answer 8

• 1 million refugees
• Power/water supplies disrupted
• $200 billion damage
• 80% of New Orleans flooded and 110,00 homes flooded

Question 9

Response to Hurricane Katrina

Answer 9

• US Senate authorised $10.5 billion in the first week and a further $51.8 was allocated
• Public donated $1.8 billion to red cross

Question 10

What was a problem to Hurricane Katrina response

Answer 10

Authorities responded differently to white people compared to black

Question 11

What LIC was hit by a Tropical storm?

Answer 11

Typhoon Haiyan (Philippines)
November 2013
Category 5

Question 12

Why is New Orleans vulnerable to Tropical storms?

Answer 12

• Lies on the gulf coast of USA

- 50% of land below sea level

Question 13

Why is Tacloban (Philippines) vulnerable?

Answer 13

• Tropical storms from Pacific
• Dense population
• Poorly constructed housing

Question 14

What were effects of Typhoon Haiyan (Philippines)

Answer 14

• Over 6,000 fatalities
• Widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure
• 2 million homeless
• Airport damaged

Question 15

Response to Typhoon Haiyan

Answer 15

• WHO ensured no outbreaks of cholera
• 13,000 people sent from America
• UK sent 2 navy ships with 200,000 tonnes of supplies