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GEOGRAPHY > Weather Hazards > Flashcards

Weather Hazards Flashcards

1
Q

Are the tropics areas of high or low pressure?

A

Areas of high pressure

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2
Q

What dictates air movement?

A

Air moves due to differences in air pressure - Wind blows from areas of high to low pressure

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3
Q

What are the convection cells of the global atmospheric circulation system

A

EQUATOR
Hadley Cell
Ferrel Cell
Polar Cell
POLES

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4
Q

How does air move at ground surface?

A

The cool air at ground surface either moves back to the equator as - TRADE WINDS.
Or it moves towards the poles as - WESTERLIES

The winds curve due to the Coriolis Effect

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5
Q

How does global atmospheric circulation affect weather around the world?

A

As the suns rays are high concentrated at the equator there is much more insolation. This means that it is hot - Warm moist air rises cools slightly and then water vapour is converted into droplets of convectional rain - TRFs form.

By the time the air reaches 30 degrees north or south of the equator it has released its moisture through precipitation. Therefore the dry air means there are few clouds and little rainfall - deserts form at this lattitude.

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6
Q

What are tropical storms called?

A

Hurricanes - In the Atlantic and Eastern pacific oceans

Cyclones - In the west of the North Pacific Ocean

Typhoons - In the Indian and South Pacific Ocean

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7
Q

What are the required conditions for a tropical storm to develop?

A

Higher than 27 C

60 - 70 metre depth

A low wind shear (the difference in the wind speed between the higher and lower parts of the atmosphere)

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8
Q

How do tropical storms develop?

A

Warm surface water evaporates, rises and condenses into clouds. - This releases huge amounts of energy causing powerful storms.

Rising air creates an area of low pressure which increases surface winds. Low wind shear prevents clouds breaking up the storm stays intact.

Easterly winds near the equator move tropical storms westward . It spins due to the Coriolis effect. Cold air sinks in the eye so there is no rain and it is much calmer.

As the storm moves over the ocean, the energy from the warm water strengthens it and the wind speeds therefore increase.

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9
Q

Why don’t tropical storms form over the equator?

A

The Coriolis effect is not strong enough for them to spin.

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10
Q

What happens when tropical storms reach land?

A

They lose energy as they are no longer gaining energy from the sea’s heat. There is also more friction on the land.

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11
Q

How long do tropical storms last?

A

2 weeks approximately

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12
Q

Which way do tropical storms spin?

When do they occur?

A

Northern Hemisphere - Anti-clockwise, August to October

Southern Hemisphere - Clockwise, December to April

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13
Q

Where do Tropical Storms form?

A

Areas of low latitude (tropics)

5 - 30 degrees north and south of the equator

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14
Q

Which direction do tropical storms move in?

A

East to West

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15
Q

What are the characteristics of an eyewall?

A

Spiraling rising air, strong winds, torrential rain and low temperatures

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16
Q

What are the characteristics of the storm eye, what causes them?

A

Caused by descending air.

Low pressure
No clouds
Increase in temperature
No rain

17
Q

How may Climate change affect tropical storms?

A

Frequency may increase as oceans will stay at 27 C for longer periods throughout the year. Alternatively, the number of tropical storms is expected to remain the same or decrease, however, the number of cat 4 storms is predicted to increase. The number of Atlantic hurricanes each decade has increased.

Distribution- as more of the world’s waters will be over 27 C this may mean that areas that have not previously experienced tropical storms may have them forming. eg. Higher lattitudes.

**Intensity ** may increase due to increased sea temperatures meaning more evaporation and cloud formation, therefore, the storms will be more powerful.

18
Q

What is storm surge?

A

When sea levels rise rapidly and particularly high due to the storm

18
Q

Effects of tropical storms?

A

Destruction of habitats (environmental), infrastructure (economic) forcing businesses to close, housing destroyed (social) all due to - strong winds, torrential rains, storm surge, flooding, and possible tornadoes and landslides.

Aid is hampered due to flooding and land slides

Water supplies contaminated with sea water, sewage and industrial waste - water born diseases eg. cholera

19
Q

How are tropical storms measured?

A

Saffir - Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

20
Q

Where and When was Typhoon Haiyan?

How may were killed and how many were made homeless?

Overall cost?

A

Phillipines, made landfall 8th November 2013

6300 dead
1.9 million made homeless

13 billion US Dollars

21
Q

UK weather hazards and their effects (6)

Examples

A

Strong Winds Can disprupt transport and damge people/properties - eg. 2018 Storm Ali killed 2 people with 100mph winds

Heavy Rainfall Leads to flooding, disrupt transport and damage infrastrucutre. Drown people eg. York Flooding 2015

Snow and Ice Schools and buisnesses can be forced to shut. eg. 2018 Beast from the East - 50cm of snow

Drought Water supplies run low leading to hosepipe bans eg. 2022 was drier than average only 62% of the usual rainfall

Thunderstorms Can cause fires from lightning and cause damage to property eg. July 2014 a series of power cuts struck southern and central England

Heat Waves Can kill due to heat exhaustion. Disrupt transport as roads melt. Toursim may increase eg. 2022 summer was one of the hottest on record 40 degrees

22
Q

How is UK weather becoming more extreme?

A

Temp: Uk’s 10 warmest years have all occurred since 2002. Extreme cold events are more frequent as well. December 2010 was the coldest month on record in 100 years

Rainfall: Becoming wetter, more frequent flooding events. December 2015 was the wettest month on record with severe flooding

23
Q

When was Beast from the East?

What caused Beast from the East?

How many people died?

How low did the temperatures fall?

How much snow?

A

22nd Feb 2018 to 5th March 2018

Twisted direction from the Northern Polar Jet Stream carried freezing conditions over England

10 dead

-12 degrees celcius

50cm of snow

24
Q

What is global warming?

A

The term used to describe the sharp rise in global temperatures over the last century?

25
Q

What evidence is there for climate change?

A

Ice and Sediment Cores - A layer of ice forms each year so by drilling down scientists can analyse the trapped gas in the layers and determine the change in temperature.

Tree Rings - Tree rings are thicker in warmer wet conditions and as one ring grows a year scientists can determine temperature in each period.

Pollen Analysis - Pollen from plants is preserved in sediment. Scientists can identify and date preserved pollen to determine the species alive at the time. They know which plants grew well in what conditions

26
Q

What natural factors cause climate change?

A

Orbital changes - Change how much solar radiation the earth receives. The shape of the earth’s orbit changes leading to glacial and interglacial cycles of the quaternary period

Volcanic Activity - Large quantities of material are erupted into the atmosphere and some of the particles can reflect the Sun’s rays back out to space causing brief cooling.

Solar output - Inconsistency in sun’s energy output - not thought to have a massive change.

27
Q

What human activities cause climate change?

A

Through the ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT where greenhouse gases absorb outgoing heat from the earth causing temperatures to rise.

Humans are increasing the volume of greenhouse gases through:

Burning Fossil fuels - Carbon Dioxide
Farming - Methane
Deforestation - Carbon Dioxide
Cement Production - Cement is made from limestone, which contains carbon and when cement is produced carbon dioxide is released.

28
Q

How may climate change effect the environment?

A

Glaciers and ice sheets melt - rising sea levels - low lying coastal areas may flood more frequently eg. Miami. Loss of habitat

Loss of polar habitats

Coral is bleaching due to rising sea levels affects biodiversity in this interdependent ecosystem.

Biodiversity may decrease - Species have had to move to higher latitude for cooler temperatures.
Habitats may be destroyed because of climate change - Species that have adapted may become extinct - Pandas rely on bamboo that is limited by climate change

29
Q

How much are temperatures expected to rise between 2021 - 2100

A

1.0 - 5.7 C

30
Q

How may climate change effect the people?

A

Rising sea levels may cause places to become uninhabitable eg. low lying areas of the Maldives - may lead to migration and over crowding in other areas.

Struggling water supply due to changing precipitation patterns. Can lead to political tension.

Smaller yield of crops leads to food shortages. - malnutrition and illness

Some high latitude farmers are benefiting from higher temps and getting a higher yield.

31
Q

What is mitigation

A

Aiming to reduce the cause of something.

32
Q

What is adaptation?

A

Adjusting to the effects of something

33
Q

What are the mitigation strategies that aim to reduce the causes of climate change?

A

Afforestation - Photosynthesise that requires the absorption of photosynthesis.

Carbon Capture - Carbon Capture and Storage reduces the emission from power station burning fossil fuels.
Capture CO2 and transports it to safe places for storage.

Alternative Energy Production - Renewable and nuclear reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

International Agreements Paris Agreement aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also encourages developed countries to help developing countries deploy mitigation strategies.

34
Q

How are people adapting to the effects of climate change?

A

Changing agricultural systems Reduced rainfall and different patterns means less reliable crops. People are:
Planting new crop types that are more suited to the environment. Also using biotechnology to create hardier and more drought resistant crops.

Managing water supply
Water meters - Discourage water use
Rainwater and waste water can be collected and recycled

Coping with Rising Sea Levels
Flood defences eg. Thames Barrier
Better flood warning systems
Poor areas are building houses in raised areas eg. embankments

GEOGRAPHY (16 decks)

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