Unit 1A-Weather Hazards Flashcards
What is the global atmospheric circulation?
The transfer of heat from the equator to the poles by the movement of air.
Explain what a low-pressure belt is and where they are located.
The Sun warms the Earth at the equator, causing the warmer air to rise, which meets the colder air from the poles.
60° north and south and at the equator.
Explain what a high-pressure belt is and where they are located.
As the warm air rises, it cools and moves away from the equator.
30°( in between the low pressure belts) north and south.
What are the three cells called and where are they located?
Polar cell – between 60° and the polls, north and south
Ferrel cell – between 60° and 30°, north and south
Hadley cell – between the equator, and 30° north and south
How does the Coriolis affect work?
At the ground surface, the cool air moves either back to the equator ( as tradewinds) or towards the polls (as westerlies). These winds curve because of the Earth’s rotation.
Explain the UK’s weather and climate using the global atmospheric circulation affects.
The UK lies close to the low pressure zone at 60° north. Warm rising air brings lots of cloud cover and rainfall.
What are the conditions for a tropical storm to form?
Sea temperature is 27°C or higher.
The difference in wind speed between higher and lower parts of the atmosphere is low.
How are powerful storms produced?
The warm surface water evaporates, rises and condenses into clouds. This releases huge amounts of energy.
Why do storms spin?
Because of the Coriolis effect
When do storms lose strength?
When they move over land or cooler water, because the energy supply from the warm water is cut off.
Do tropical storms spin anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or in the southern hemisphere?
Northern hemisphere
What conditions are there in the eye of the storm?
Very low pressure, light winds, no clouds, no rain and a high temperature.
What are the conditions in the eye wall of the storm?
Spiralling rising air, very strong winds (around 160 km/h) storm clouds, torrential rain and a low temperature.
What are the conditions of the edges of the storm?
Lower windspeed, clouds are smaller and more scattered, less intense rain and high temperature
What was the climate like in tacloban and Cebu during the Typhoon Haiyan?
280 mm of rain and winds reaching a maximum of about 300 km/h.
What are two primary effects of the Typhoon Haiyan?
The cost of damage was estimated at approximately US, $13 million.
Over 1 million homes were severely damaged or destroyed.
What are two secondary effects of the Typhoon Haiyan?
6 million workers lost their jobs.
The lack of clean water caused outbreaks of diseases, such as dysentery.
What are two immediate responses of the Typhoon Haiyan?
The Philippines broadcasted warnings about typhoon Haiyan two days before it made landfall. This led to the evacuation of eight 800,000 residents before the storm.
The Philippines declared a state of emergency, which led to many charities offering aid.
What are two long-term responses of the Typhoon Haiyan?
The UN appealed for over $300 million to help fund rebuilding and relief.
Charities built new storm-resistant houses for those who lost their homes.
How can climate change affect the frequency of tropical storms?
Oceans will stay at 27° or higher for longer each year, so there is a longer period when tropical storms can form.
How can climate change affect the distribution of tropical storms?
More of the worlds oceans could be above 27°. This may mean that tropical storms can form in areas that haven’t experienced than before.
How can climate change affect the intensity of tropical storms?
Higher sea surface temperatures can result in more evaporation and increase cloud formation, so more energy is released. This could mean storms become more powerful.
Give two ways in which prediction and monitoring can reduce the effects of tropical storms?
Prediction – gives people time to evacuate and protect homes and businesses.
Monitoring – computer models can be used to calculate the storms predicted path.
Give two ways in which planning can reduce the effects of tropical storms
Planning evacuation routes
Emergency services can prepare
