weather hazards

Question 1

Extreme weather

Answer 1

this is when a weather event is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern and is especially severe or unseasonal. This may take place over one day or a period of time.

Question 2

• define and describe the impacts of strong winds and give an example

Answer 2

strongs winds can damage properties and disrupt transport.

uprooted trees and debris can injure or kill people 

in 2018, storm ali killed two people when 100 mph winds blew over several trees

Question 3

• define and describe heavy rainfall impacts and give an example

Answer 3

too much rain can cause flooding, which can damage homes, disrupt transport networks and drown people

parts of south wales flooded in 2018 after over 180 mm of rain fell in 48 hours during storm callum

Question 4

• define and describe snow and ice impacts and give an example

Answer 4

snow and ice can cause injuries due to slipping and deaths due to the cold

schools and businesses can be forced to shut, and disruptoion to travel can have economic impacts 

in march 2018, the beast form the east brought up to 90 cm of snow, causing major disruption to traffic and schools

Question 5

• define and describe drought impacts and give an example

Answer 5

water supplies can run low, causing economic impacts such as crop failures

rules to conserve water have to be introduced

Question 6

• define and describe thunderstorms impacts and give an example

Answer 6

heavy rain, strong winds and lightning can all occurduring thunderstorms

lightning can cause fires, which can damage property and the environment, and can occasionally kill people 

in july 2014, a series of thunderstorms struck southern and central england, with lightning strikes causing power cuts and delaying flights

Question 7

• define and describe the impacts of heat waves and give an example

Answer 7

during long periods of hotweather, pollution builds up in the air, this can cause heat exhaustion or breathing difficulties which can kill people

disruption to transport from rails buckling or roads melting can cause economic impacts- but the tourism industry may benefit from the better weather 

the summer of 2018 was one of the hottest summers since records began. temperatures in july reached just over 35 degrees in faversham, kent

Question 8

• how is temperature in the UK becoming more extreme

Answer 8

the UKs ten warmest years have all occured scince 1990, and 2018 was the joint hottest summer on record.

Extreme cold events also seem to be more frequent- seven of the UKs eleven coldest recorded temperatures have occured since 1980 and December 2010 was the coldest month for over 100 years

Question 9

• how is rainfall in the UK becoming more extreme

Answer 9

more rainfall records were broken between 2010 and 2014 than in any decade on record. major flooding events have become more frequent over the past ten years- december 2015 was the wettest month ever recorded, and severe flooding occured in many areas of the uk

Question 10

• how did storms flood the somerset levels in the winter

Answer 10

from december 2013 to feburary 2013, smoerset experienced three times the average amount of rainfall for those months

lots of rain fell on already saturated grounds and coincided with high tides and storm surges. this caused extensive flooding of the levels. an area of low lying land criss crossed by rivers 

human activites also played a part- the rivers hadnt been dredged regularly for 20 years, which reduced their capacity

Question 11

• what were the social impacts of somerset levels flooding

Answer 11

more than 600 homes were flooded and many people were forced to evacuate

villages such as muchenly were cut off by road, and the only way in or out by boat 

major transport links including the a361 and some train lines were closed or disrupted 

insurance prices soared and some residents were unable to insure their homes against future flooding

Question 12

• what were tehe environmental impacts of summerset flooding

is were left by the floods, damaging vegitation

Answer 12

11,500 hectares were flooded, including farmland- destroyed many crops

standing water made the ground toxic and unproductive for over a year. loss of nutiresnts and damage to soil strucutre decreased the longterm fertility of land 

tonnes of mud and debr

Question 13

• what were the economic impacts of summerset levels flooding

Answer 13

the total cost of damage to the somerset levels was estimated at over 80 million

local companies lost more than 1.2 million in business 

loss of tourism cost country 200 million

Question 14

• what actions did individuals and organisations take to limit its impacts

Answer 14

warning systems gave people time to prepare. for example the met office warned people to find emergency accomodation in case they had to leave their homes

individuals and local authorities used sandbags and floor boards to try and limit flood damage to homes #

Question 15

• what action did the government take to limit its impacts

Answer 15

scince the flood, governments has set up the somerset levels and moors flood action plan- a 20 year plan which aims to limit the risk of future flooding.

100 million was spent on turning temporary pumping stations into permanent ones 

regular dredging of the river parret and tone

building a tidal barrage at bridgwater 

widening the river sowys channel and kings sedgemoor drain