Weather Hazards

Question 1

Where is tropical storm called cyclone, typhoon and hurricane?

Answer 1

Hurricane- North America
Cyclone- Indian Ocean and Australia
Typhoon- East Asia

Question 2

Tropical storms
Found?
Direction of travel?
Majority found in?

Answer 2

At tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
Away from equator and from east to west due to Coriolis force
North Pacific Ocean

Question 3

5 Conditions for a tropical storm?

Answer 3

-Sea temperature above 26oc
-Cluster of thunderstorms
-Earth’s rotation
-Light winds
-Moist conditions

Question 4

How a tropical storm is formed?

Answer 4

Warm air above water at at least 26oc rises-> low pressure. Condenses into cumulonimbus clouds, pulls surrounding air in. Spins due to Coriolis force and travels from east to west due to trade-winds. Collects moisture and energy while travelling to land before losing energy when it reaches land.

Question 5

4 impacts of tropical storms?

Answer 5

-Food shortage
-Expenses to rebuild infrastructure
-Loss of lives
-Damaged habitats

Question 6

What is a storm surge?

Answer 6

When winds in a hurricane push water towards land, creating a high wall of water

Question 7

Typhoon Haiyan
Year?
Where?

Answer 7

2013
South Pacific Ocean, making landfall in the Philippines

Question 8

Typhoon Haiyan
4 Impacts?
Are they social, economic or environmental?

Answer 8

Social- more than 6000 people died
Social- islands Samar and Leyte were isolated due to power outages
Economic- Cost of damage estimated at $2 billion USD
Environ- caused an oil spill in fishing waters

Question 9

Typhoon Haiyan
3 Responses?

Answer 9

-Set up 1,200 evacuation centres to prevent death
-Government spent 2% of national budget in the short term
-Oxfam helped replace fishing boats to generate income

Question 10

Hurricane Sandy
Year?
Where?

Answer 10

2012
Travelled through Caribbean and hit East coast of USA

Question 11

Hurricane Sandy
4 Impacts?
Are they social, economic or environmental?

Answer 11

Social- more than 150 people died
Social- railways and airports closed in New York
Economic- New York Marathon cancelled, losing tourist income
Environ- gallons of untreated sewage entered the sea around New York

Question 12

Hurricane Sandy
3 repsones?

Answer 12

-American Red Cross helped provide relief
-Charity concert ‘12-12-12’ was organised to raise funds
-National Hurricane Centre in Miami monitored its path

Question 13

Arid def?
Pressure?
Where on Earth?

Answer 13

Always a low amount of water available
High pressure
Around tropics

Question 14

Drought def?

Answer 14

Gradual reduction in the amount of water available

Question 15

5 main causes of drought
Most significant?

Answer 15

Agricultural, hydrological, meteorological, dam building, deforestation
*Meteorological

Question 16

Cause of drought
Agricultural
How it causes?
Human or physical?

Answer 16

Farmers using large amount of water for crops
Human

Question 17

Cause of drought
Hydrological
How it causes?
Human or physical?

Answer 17

Water in lakes, aquifers and rivers falls below average
Physical

Question 18

Cause of drought
Meteorological
How it causes?
Human or physical?

Answer 18

When there is a prolonged period of below average rainfall
Physical

Question 19

Cause of drought
Dam building
How it causes?
Human or physical?

Answer 19

Can restrict amount of water reaching downstream areas
Human

Question 20

Cause of drought
Deforestation
How it causes?
Human or physical?

Answer 20

Reduces soil’s ability to hold water causing land to dry out
Human

Question 21

2 places that are less vulnerable to drought and why?

Answer 21

UK- Consistent rain
Australia- Low population density, coastal

Question 22

2 places that are more vulnerable to drought and why?

Answer 22

India- reliant on monsoon seasons
Central America- competition over water resources

Question 23

Why do rainy seasons make an area vulnerable to drought?

Answer 23

Rely on global circulation to not be delayed or weaker than normal

Question 24

Why do rainy seasons in summer make an area vulnerable to drought?

Answer 24

Water not easily absorbed by the sun-baked soil, evaporation is high

Question 25

Why do deserts not suffer from drought?

Answer 25

They normally receive very low level of precipitation so hard to receive even lower