✅🟢Weather Hazards Flashcards
What’s the Global distribution of tropical storms?
All tropical storms occur between the tropics of cancer and Capricorn (between 5° and 20° north and south of the equator)
Hurricanes – Atlantic/Pacific (America)
Typhoons – Northwest Pacific (Asia/Australia and islands above)
Cyclones – Indian Ocean (India)
How does a tropical storm form?
Solar radiation and warms the ocean to 27°
Thunderstorms developing cluster
Tradewinds converge
Warm air rises creasing low surface pressure the rising air cools and condenses into clouds and rain. there is a continuous up flow of warm wet air.
Vacuum up the surface pulls up more air creating strong winds
Coriolis force and trade winds blow in different direction causing her to spiral
once the cold air sinks the eyes formed, cold air sinks in the eyes therefore there is no cloud and it’s dry and calmer
How might climate change affect the distribution of tropical storms?
Global temperatures are expected to increase as a result of climate change. This means that more of the world’s oceans could be above 27 °C, so more places in the world may experience tropical storms.
How might climate change affect the frequency of tropical storms?
Oceans will stay at 27 °C or higher for more of the year so the number of tropical storms each year could increase.
How might climate change affect the intensity of tropical storms?
Higher temperatures - higher intensity tropical storms with higher wind speeds, meaning they could cause more damage.
Also, there is evidence that extra water vapour in the atmosphere is making storms wetter.
During the past 25 years, satellites have measured a 4 percent rise in water vapour in the air.
Structure and features of tropical storms
Learn diagram
From out to in:
Rainbands – Temperature and pressure goes down, clouds go up
Eye wall - temperature and pressure fall rapidly, thick clouds and heavy rain
Eye - temperature and pressure goes up, calmer and dryer
Eye wall - temperature and pressure fall rapidly, thick clouds and heavy rain
Rainbands – Temperature and pressure goes down, clouds go up
Up to 12 km tall/600 km wide
Water must be over 27°C
What are the Hazards associated with tropical storms?
Intense winds – Candice up to 280 km/h
Storm surges – low pressure causes sea surface to rise, wins drive sea forwards causing a surge of water up to several metres (can cause flooding and damage in coastal regions)
Torrential rain – tropical cyclones can pick up 2 billion tons of moisture per day and release it as rain, also leads to flooding
High seas – large waves of up to 15 m high caused by strong winds, hazardous to shipping
Primary Physical effects of tropical storms + example
Typhoon Haiyan:
- massive storm surge killed thousands - social
- storm was as big as a typhoon can get - destroys buildings
- fastest typhoon to ever hit land - strong winds rip buildings apart
- experienced 15ft storm surge + 100mm rain fast - took lives
- category 5 typhoon
Primary Human social effects of tropical storms + example
Typhoon Haiyan:
- people + children lost their lives die ti 15ft storm surge
- 6190 people died
- 14million people affected
- many pregnant women were shocked into giving birth
- 26,000 people injured
Primary Human economic effects of tropical storms + example
Typhoon Hiayan:
- people’s homes battered + destroyed by strong winds = homelessness increase
- 90% of tacloban destroyed
- 1.1 million tonnes of crops destroyed
Primary Human environmental effects of tropical storms + example
Typhoon Haiyan
- roads blocked by fallen trees
- people’s crops + farmland destroyed, some land no longer fertile
- tacloban airport blocked + badly damages
- 600,000 hectares of farmland effected
Secondary Physical effects of tropical storms + example
Typhoon Haiyan:
- debris distributed everywhere
- widespread flooding (drowning + injured many more)
Secondary Human social effects of tropical storms + example
- 800,000 people evacuated
- refugees have to live in high hazard domes + couldn’t revive a lot of help
- 4.1 million people homeless
- areas double in population due to refugees
- illness + disease breakout due to dirty water + lack of sanitation
- looting
Secondary Human economic effects of tropical storms + example
Typhoon Haiyan:
- people were stealing food + drinks from local business
- local business destroyed
- fishing waters contaminates as there was an oil leak
- no / limited tourists
- schools shut / debris covered them
- international trade + farmers income disrupted
Secondary Human environmental effects of tropical storms + example
- fishing had to stop
- main airport shut for 3 days after the storm + storm surge
- running water extremely dirty
- very little running water
- widespread flooding
Immediate responses of Typhoon Hiayan
800,000 people were evacuated following a televised warning by the president. Many people found refuge in a stadium in Tacloban. However, many people died when it was flooded. The government provided essential equipment and medical supplies.In order to reduce looting a curfew was introduced 2 days after the typhoon.
Survivors swimming to safety and helping others find shelter
Once the main airport was reopenedthree days later emergency aid arrived. Power was restored in some regions after a week. Within 2 weeks one million food packs and 250,000 litres of water were distributed.
Over $1.5 billion of foreign aid was pledged.Thirty-three countries and international organisations promised help, with rescue operations and an estimated US $ 88.871 million.
British airforce brought 2million pines worth of aid to those who suffered badly
People were being rescued with make-shift rafts to help those who were elderly.
Long term responses of Typhoon Hiayan
Build Back Better is the government’s response to the typhoon. Launched in 2014 its intention was to upgrade buildings that were damaged and destroyed to protect them from future disasters. They have also set up a no-build zone along the coast in Eastern Visayas, a new storm surge warning system has been developed and mangroves have been replanted to absorb future storm surges.
World food program brought in grains and food support the Un also launched a national appeal
UNICEF - Training train teachers, day care workers and education authorities to provide psychosocial support. They’ve gotten most children back to school
UNICEF - providing clean water and vaccines (vaccines mainly for younger children against polio / measles)
An example of an extreme weather event in the UK, what were its causes?
‘The Beast from the East’ in 2018 was caused by twisting direction drawing in cold air into the UK
Storm Emma also collided with ‘The Beats from the East’ worsening its effects
What are the Social impacts of extreme weather event in the UK?
- 10 people died
- over 3 days there were over 8000 car accidents / road collisions
- NHS cancelled non-urgent appointments + clinics
- people stranded on tracks overnight
- gas / electricity supplies effected
- schools closed for up to 3 days