Why do the impacts of climatic hazards vary over time and location?

Question 1

Factors influencing the severity of impacts:

Answer 1

• Time of day/season, how long it lasts
• Scale: size of area I covers
• Strength: the more extreme, the greater the impact
• Frequency: is it common or rare and thus unexpected?
• Awareness of population: warnings, communications, are people prepared?
• Precautions taken: long-term planning and short term measures
• A contrast between countries at either end of the development continuum, rural and urban areas, coastal and inland areas, to compare both the impacts and reactions to at least two types of climatic hazards
• How impacts can vary over short and long time periods for at least two contrasting types of climatic hazards

Question 2

Factors influencing the severity of impacts OVER TIME:

Answer 2

• Level of development/technology
• Duration
• Time of day/season/year
• Build-up of events – warning interval

Question 3

Factors influencing the severity of impacts WITH LOCATION:

Answer 3

• Coastal versus inland
• Ability to predict or forecast (level of technology)
• Population density, distribution, level of perception and education
• Level of communications – warning, mobility of population
• Highland versus lowland
• Urban versus rural
• Level of development – building type, ability to warn/evacuate
• Remoteness
• Type and size (power) of hazard or mix of hazards
• West versus east (depressions move west to east in the northern hemisphere) or north versus south (hurricanes die out as they move north to cool down)