Weather hazards in the UK Flashcards
How do tropical storms develop?
when the sea temperature is 27 degrees or higher and the wind shear between higher and lower parts of atmosphere is low
Explain process of tropical storms?
- warm moist air rises and condensation occurs. releases huge energy
- rising air creates an area of low pressure which increases surface winds
- storm moves towards west
- earths rotation deflects the paths of winds causing it to spin
- storm gets stronger from energy of warm water and speed increases
- loose strength when they move over land or cooler eter because energy removed
Describe general features of a tropical storm?
- circular
- hundreds of kilometere wide
- last 7-14 day
Describe eye of storm?
- 50 km across
- caused by descending air
- low pressure, light winds, no clouds, no rain
- high temp
Describe area surrounding eye of storm?
- eyewall
- spiralling rising air
- very strong winds
- storm couds
- torrential rain
- low temp
Describe outskirts of storm?
- lower wind speed
- smaller clouds
- less intense rain
- higher temp
How may climate change affect tropical storms?
- global temperates are expected to rise
- higher average sea temp meaning more tropical storms
- stronger tropical storms
Name a tropical storm?
typhoon haiyan
Descibe typhoon haiyan?
- one of strongest cat 5 ever recorded
- winds up to 275km/h
- 90% of Tacloban destroyed
Primary effects of haiyan?
- 6300 killed
- 600000 displaced
- 40000 homes destroyed and damaged
- 400 mm of rain caused widespread flooding
Secondary effects of haiyan?
- 14 mill affected
- 6 million job loses
- landslides from flooding
- power, water and food shortages
- looting and violance
Immediate responces of haiyan?
- overseas aid
- US helicopter assisted search and rescue
- field hospitals for injured
- 1200 evacuation centers set up
long term responces of haiyan?
- UN international financial aid
- rebuilding of infrastructure
- rice farming and fishing reastablished
- homes rebuilt in safer areas
- more cyclone shelters built
What is weather?
day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere
What is climate?
average weather pver a 30 year period
5 types of extreme weather?
- thunderstorms
- prolonged rainfall
- drought and extreme heat
- heavy snow and extreme cold
- strong winds
Example of UK extreme weather?
somerset level floods
Describe somerset floods?
in 2014 due to area of extensive low lying land surrounded by rivers
Causes of somerset floods?
- sequence of south westerly depressions
- high tides and storm surges swept water from bristol channel preventing normal flow
- rivers not dredged in 20 years
Immediate responces of somerset floods?
- huge media
- cut of villagers
- commuities and volunteers gave invaluable support
Long term responces of somerset?
- 20 mill flood action plan
- 80km of rivers dredged
- road levels raised
- vulnerable communities have flood defences
- river banks strengthened and raised
- tidal barrages by 2024
Impacts of somerset?
- over 600 houses flooded
- 16 farms evacuated
- villages cut off, dirupting school, work and shopping
- 10 mill in damage
- power supply roads and railway cut off
- debris clearance required
- flood waters contaminated with sewage, oil and chemicals
4 ways climate change can be managed?
- alternative energy
- carbon capture
- planting trees
- international agreements
Explain alternative energy?
- using more sustainable sources
- Uk aims to produce 15% of its energy sources by 2020
Explain carbon capture?
- uses technology to capture carbon and is compressed, piped and injected underground for lomg term storage
Explain planting trees?
- remove CO2 from atmospheere
- release moisture producing more cloud and then less solar radiation
Explain international agreements>
- paris agreement was first global climate deal and aims to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial level
WHat are the global impacts of climate change?
- reduced crop yield and water supply
- more heat related illnesses
- low-lying coastal areas threatened by flooding
- changing ecosystems and animal habitats
- more extreme weather events (droughts)
- stronger tropical storm
- desertification
WHat are the two main ways to adapt to climate change?
agricultural adaption and reducing risk from rising sea levels
How does agriculture need to adapt?
- cope with extreme weather
- manage water supplies by storing water, using irrigation systems, drought resistant crops
- change livestock and crops to suit new climate conditions
- plant trees to shade seaslings
What will rising sea levels do?
- threaten important agricultural land
- increase coastal erosion rates and damage from storm surges
- contaminate freshwater supplies
How can we adapt to rising sea levels?
- building houses on stilts
- constructing sea walls
- create articial islands up to 3 meters hugh
- restoration of coastal mangrove forests as their roots trap sediment
