weather - natural hazards

Question 1

What does global atmospheric circulation mean?

Answer 1

movement of air across the earth in a specific pattern driven by the difference in heat on the earth’s surface

Question 2

what are the 3 types of cell

Answer 2

polar, ferrel, hadley

Question 3

where is the hadley cell

Answer 3

from the equator to the 30° latitude line

Question 4

sequence of the hadley cell

Answer 4

-air separates & move north & south
-reaches 30° and sinks, subtropical high p
-completes cycle, flows back towards equator as trade winds

Question 5

what are the trade winds in north

Answer 5

northeast trade winds

Question 6

what are the trade winds in south

Answer 6

southwest trade winds

Question 7

what are the different directions of trade winds caused by

Answer 7

the Coriolis effect

Question 8

where is the ferrel cell

Answer 8

between 30° and 60°

Question 9

sequence of the ferrel cell

Answer 9

-air is pulled towards the poles, forming warm southwesterly winds in north, northwesterly in the south
-gain moisture, at 60° meet cold air
-warm air from tropics is lighter than polar air so rises
-uplift causes low p, unstable weather with mid-latitude depression

Question 10

where is the polar cell

Answer 10

60° to poles

Question 11

sequence of polar cell

Answer 11

-poles, air is cooled and sinks forming high pressure, this is the Polar high.
-It flows towards the lower latitudes
-At 60° N and S, polar air mixes with tropical air and rises, creating low pressure called the subpolar low.
The boundary between the warm and cold air is called the polar front. It accounts for a great deal of the unstable weather experienced in these latitudes.

Question 12

what is a tropical storm

Answer 12

intense low pressure weather system that can last days-weeks within tropical regions

Question 13

what are tropical storms also known as

Answer 13

hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons

Question 14

5 conditions needed for tropical storms to form

Answer 14

-between 5-30° North + South of equator
-sea temperature >27°C for 60-70m deep
-warmest season
-low wind shear
-not on equator

Question 15

sequence of tropical storm formation

Answer 15

1.Warm air rises from the ocean as it rises it leaves a space below it (low pressure). This space is instantly filled by surrounding air ,rushing in causing strong winds.
2.The air that rushed in warms up and rises too. This rising air brings moisture. This cools and condenses to form storm clouds (eye wall)
3.When the cooled air descends it forms an area of calm in the centre (eye)
4.Due to the winds near the equator, storm starts to move from east to west. Earth’s spin causes winds to curve and makes storm spin.

Question 16

where do tropical storms form and what direction do they travel

Answer 16

over warm oceans, travel from east to west

Question 17

what’s the Coriolis effect

Answer 17

winds don’t blow in straight lines due to the earth’s rotation; the difference in speed at equator means winds blow

Question 18

3 primary impacts of tropical storms

Answer 18

-strong winds (at least 119km/h)
-torrential rainfall (up to 500ml in 24hrs)
-storm surges (up to 5m)

Question 19

6 secondary impacts of tropical storms

Answer 19

-houses demolished
-infrastructure + crops destroyed
-aid hampered
-landslides
-contamination of water supplies
-flooding

Question 20

how will climate change affect tropical storms

Answer 20

higher intensity and possibly higher frequency due to more areas warm enough for their formation but not enough evidence

Question 21

how to monitor tropical storms

Answer 21

satellites - cloud patterns associated with storms
aircrafts - can collect data on air pressure, rainfall, wind speed

Question 22

how to predict tropical storms

Answer 22

supercomputers can give 5 days warning
track cones

Question 23

how to protect from tropical storms (6)

Answer 23

storm shutters on windows, tie down windborne objects, install emergency generator + hurricane straps, reinforce doors, remove trees close to buildings

Question 24

how to plan for tropical storms (5)

Answer 24

educate, advise, government plans, storm shelters, building regulations

Question 25

what is a storm event

Answer 25

weather system that is severe, unusual, or unexpected, and can cause damage or threaten life

Question 26

why does the UK regularly experience storms and weather depressions

Answer 26

due to its location, the jet stream, and the Polar Front

Question 27

what are the 4 types of flooding in the UK

Answer 27

-river flash flooding
-coastal flooding
-slow onset flooding
-surface water flooding5

Question 28

what weather hazards affect the UK

Answer 28

storm events, wind, snow, droughts and heatwaves

Question 29

drought definition

Answer 29

extended period of low/no rainfall relative to expected average for the region