weather hazards

• what is the global atmospheric circulation system?

  1. Temperatures at the equator are high due to intense solar radiation
  2. This causes hot air to rise and causes low pressure
  3. As the air rises, it becomes colder and causes condensation and rainfall - this is why tropical rainforests are found at the equator
  4. Some of this air travels north and some travels south
  5. The air cools and sinks at 30 degrees N and S of the equator
  6. The air sinking causes HIGH PRESSURE - where deserts are found
• what is the hadley cell

  the movement of air between 30 degrees N and S of the equator
• what is the ferral and polar cell

  90 degrees north and south of the equator
• positions of the polar and ferrel and hadley cell


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• what is a tropical storm

  • powerful low pressure weather system which forms in tropical regeons due to warm ocean temps and high energy
  • strong winds
  • heavy rainfall
• where do tropical storms form?

  • +26.5 degrees ocean temp
  • often between 5 and 30 degree latitude
• where are hurricanes found?

  Atlantic and east pacific
• where are cyclones found?

  Southeast asia and eastern africa
• where are willy willies found

  australia
• where are typhoons found

  western pacific
• how are tropical storms classified

  Based on - wind speed, central pressure, damage potential

  • 5 catagories
  • 1 is weakest
  • 5 is strongest
• what are the causes of tropical storms?

  • Low latitude - between 5 and 30 degrees N/S of the equator - temperatures here are warmer
  • Oceans with temperatures above 26.5 degrees celcious - provides heat and moisture so warm air rapidly rises
  • between summer and autumn - warmest seasons
  • low wind shear - wind is constant so clouds rise without being torn apart
• what are the stages of a ts forming?

  1. at equator - high isolation from sun - leads to low pressure and hot air rises rapidly. This hot air condenses and forms clouds which leads to thunderstorms which are blown towards the atlantic
  2. easterly winds push the storm into the atlantic. The absence of sheer winds allow thunderstorms to cluster together to form one big storm. The warm and deep oceans provide moisture for the storm to grow
  3. The storm continues to grow in size. Heat is released by condensation.
  4. The Coriolis affect causes the storm to rotate anticlockwise and moves away from equator
  5. energy from the sotrm causes wind speeds to meet those that classify it as a hurricane. The storm has now reached the size that it creates bands of warm rising air and cool falling air - creates bands of clouds
  6. The storm meets land and it is no longer fuelled by the source,l ooses power and weakness and disperses into smaller tropical storms
• how is a tropical storm structured?

  • Eye - calm, usually 30-50 km wide, light winds and no rain
  • Tall cumulonimbus clouds surround the eye which are caused by warm air condensing as it rises
  • wind speeds of up to 320km/h
• How will climate change affect the distribution of TS?

  • Oceans will warm to be above 27 degrees in a lot of places so more places will experience tropical storms
• how will climate change effect the frequency of tropical storms?

  • oceans will stay at 27 degrees for longer throughout the year and air temps will increase throughout the year, meanign the number of tropical storms may increase as the season will be longer
• how will the intensity of tropical storms be affected by climate change

  • Warmer atmosphere -> heavier rainfall -> increase in flooding
  • sea levels will rise meaning storm surges will become higher and cause more damage
  • Higher temps -> more energy for the storm so they will overall become stronger - higher wind speeds can cause more damage
• what are the primary effects of tropical storms?

  • people are injured or killed by debris being blown around
  • drowning
  • buildings are destroyed or damaged
  • electricity is cut off
  • sewage is released due to flooding
  • water supplies become contaminated
• what immediate responses to tropical storms

  • people are evacuated before the storm lands
  • rescue people trapped and provide medical support for injured people
  • temporary shelters are set up for homeless people
  • provide food and water
  • recover dead bodies
  • aid provided by govorment and NGOs
• long term responses to tropical storms

  • repair and rebuild properties
  • rehouse people
  • repare the transport infrastructure
  • provide aid to people for them to rebuild their homes
• how can monitoring and prediction help for tropical storms

  • satellite and radar technology can be used to track development and approach of a tropical storm
  • weather charts, computer software
  • HICs can use the monitoring system as they have the finances to invest in the systems
  • LICs are less prepared for tropical storms as their monitering equipment is too expensive so more people will be effected
• How does protection help tropical storms?

  • use storm shelters to reduce life loss as they are strong enough to withstand strong winds as they are made from reinforced concrete
  • have windows covered with metal shutters
  • construct high sea walls along the coast to protect from storm surges
• what is planning for tropical storms

  • people who live in areas prone to tropical storms are advised to stock up on food and water
  • govorments and NGOs advisse people to prepare
  • early warnigns are installed to help people to get to safety to reduce the number of deaths
• what is the coreolis effect

  winds are distorted by the earth's rotation