Weather hazards Flashcards
What is the case study for a UK extreme weather event?
Somerset
What are the human causes of the Somerset flood?
Draining the Levels
Development of the floodplain, including agricultural use removing vegetation (interception) and trampling by
livestock (infiltration)
What are the physical causes of the Somerset flood?
Wettest January on record
Several weeks of wet weather from successive depressions
High tides and storm surges
What are the social impacts of the Somerset flood?
600 homes flooded
16 farms evacuated
600 homes flooded
16 farms evacuated
Power-cuts
What are the economic impacts of the Somerset flood?
£10m damage
Insurance premiums increased
14000ha of farmland covered for 1 month
Roads cut off
What are the environmental impacts of the Somerset flood?
Floodwaters contaminated with sewage, oils and chemicals
Debris clear up
Stagnant water couldn’t be pumped back into rivers
What we’re the immediate responses of the Somerset flood?
Villagers used boats to go shopping or attend school
Community groups and volunteers gave support
What we’re the long term responses of the Somerset flood?
£20 million action plan
8km of dredging
Potential tidal barrage
What is global atmospheric circulation?
The worldwide system of winds, which transports heat from tropical to polar latitudes.
(Hadley, Ferrel, Polar)
What is the Hadley cell?
Hot air rises at the Equator and cool air sinks at the Tropics
What is the ferral cell?
Cool air descends at the Tropics and hot air rises at 60 degrees N/S of the Equator.
What is the polar cell?
Hot air rises at 60 degrees N/S Equator, sinks at the Poles.
What is altitude?
Measurement of height above sea level.
What is latitude?
Measurement of distance from the Equator
What is the global distribution of tropical storms?
Hurricane in Atlantic Ocean, cyclone in Indian Ocean, typhoon in Pacific Ocean
