weather hazards

• what are human causes of climate change?

  Fossil fuels

  agriculture-rice paddies,livestock ect

  deforestation
• what is global atmospheric circulation?

  The transfer of heat from the equator to the poles by the movement of air
• why does air move in different ways?

  air pressure-winds blow from high to low pressure areas
• What causes differences in air pressure?

  unequal heating of the earth
• what are global atmospheric circulation cells?

  Winds combine to help create global atmospheric circulation cells.

  
  

  Global atmospheric circulation cells are made up of:

  
  

  Cool sinking air - forms high-pressure belts of wind.

  
  

  Warm rising air - forms low-pressure belts of wind.
• what happens at the equator of the global atmospheric model?

  -earth's surface is warmed by sun at equator

  -this air gets hotter and rises which causes a low pressure belt

  -rising air cools and moves away from equator
• what happens at 30 degrees north and south?

  -air is further from equator

  -cool air sinks

  -creating a high pressure belt with minimal rainfall and clouds
• what happens when the cool air reaches the earth's surface?

  -either moves back to the equator as trade winds

  
  

  -or towards poles as westerlies

  
  

  -these winds curve cause of earths rotation-coriolis effect
• what happens at 60 degrees north and south of the equator?

  -warmer surface winds meet colder air from poles

  -warmer air rises creating a low pressure belt

  -air splits with some moving back towards equator and rest to poles
• what happens at the poles?

  Cool air sinks creating high pressure which moes back to equator as surface winds
• what are trade winds?

  Surface winds blowing towards the equator
• what are westerlies' winds?

  surface winds blowing towards poles
• what are some weather hazards the uk experience's?

  -strong winds

  -heavy rainfall

  -snow and ice

  -drought from lack of rain

  -heat waves

  -thunderstorms
• what are some impacts of the uk weather hazards?

  -heavy rainfall-flooding

  -strong winds-people killed by trees

  -snow and ice-slipping and deaths.schools/businesses shut

  -heat waves-disruption to transport

  -drought-can lead to crop failures and lack of drinking water
• name the three types of global atmospheric cells

  hadley

  ferrel

  polar
• what describes a low pressure air belt?

  rising air

  clouds

  rain
• where do tropical storms form?

  5-30 degrees north and south of the equator

  over warm water
• When do tropical storms form?

  sea temp is 27 degrees or higher

  difference is wind speed between higher and lower parts of atmosphere is low
• why do tropical storms move west?

  easterly winds near the equator
• why do the storms spin?

  Coriolis effect
• why do tropical storms lose strength when they go over land?

  the energy supply from warm water is cut off
• how are tropical storms chacterised?

  torrential rain

  strong winds

  spins round middle-coriolis effect

  intense low pressure weather systems
• list some features of tropical storms

  circular

  hundreds of km wide

  usually last 1 to 2 weeks

  spin anticlockwise in northern hemisphere and opposite in south
• what is the eye of the storm caused by?

  descending air
• what are conditions like in the eye of a storm?

  Low pressure.

  Light winds.

  No clouds.

  No rain.

  High temperature.
• what are conditions like at the eyewall of the storm?

  spiralling rising air

  very strong winds

  storm clouds

  torrential rain

  low temp
• what are conditions like at the edge of a storm?

  wind speeds fall

  clouds smaller and more scattered

  rain less intense

  temp increases
• how is climate change expected to effect the distribution of tropical storms?

  more of earth seas will be warmer than 27 degrees so there will be more storms and they will have more energy
• how will climate change affect the frequency of tropical storms

  frequency of storms will increase and hurricane season will be longer
• how will climate change affect the intensity of tropical storms

  higher temp oceans means more energy storms will have

  this means they will do more damage to buildings,people and infrastructure
• what are some primary effects of tropical storms?

  -damage to infrastructure

  -flying debris can injure or kill people

  -electricity cables and pylons can be damaged by flying debris

  -flights and train journey's cancelled because its dangerous

  -rivers and coastal towns may flood
• what are some secondary effects of tropical storms?

  -flood damage of homes can lead to homelessness

  -damaged roads,rail lines ect can stop the delivery of essential supplies

  -death of livestock and damaged fields can lead to food shortages

  -water/electricity cut off can lead to people stranded with no basic supply's
• what are some immediate responses to tropical storms?

  -provision of tents,food,water ect supplied

  -anyone killed in storm should be buried quickly to stop disease spreading

  -evacuating in advance

  -people isolated by storm can be rescued
• what are some long term responses to tropical storms?

  repairings flooded homes/infrastructure

  try to make buildings more storm proof and improve warning systems and weather forecasting
• how can the effects of tropical storms be reduced?

  protection

  planning

  prediction
• How can prediction reduce the effects of tropical storms?

  -storms can be monitored using radars,satellites ect

  -gives time for people to evacuate

  -computer models can predict storms path
• how can planning reduce the effects of tropical storms?

  -govs can plan evacuation routes

  -emergency services can prepare for disasters by practising rescuing people

  -future developments can avoid low coastal zones and have flood defences
• how can protection reduce the effects of tropical storms?

  -buildings can be designed to withstand tropical storm effects

  -flood defences can be built along rivers and coasts {e.g sea walls}