UK Extreme Weather

Question 1

Define Extreme Weather

Answer 1

Extreme weather is when a weather event is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern. This may take place over one day or a period of time.

Question 2

Give examples of extreme weather in the UK

Answer 2

A flash flood or heat wave are two examples of extreme weather in the UK

Question 3

Give examples of Extreme weather

Answer 3

Storm Events
Flooding
Drought
Extremes in cold weather
Extreme heat waves

Question 4

What weather is associated with storm events? Why?

Answer 4

The UK is regularly hit by depressions which bring very heavy rain and trigger floods

Question 5

What part of the UK is at risk of great storm damage

Answer 5

The West Coast of the UK is at risk of great storm damage.

Question 6

What was responsible for widespread wind damage in 2013

Answer 6

Strong depressions were responsible for widespread wind damage in 2013.

Question 7

What was responsible for widespread wind damage in 2013. Give an EXAMPLE

Answer 7

During Storm Jude of 28th October 2013, 160km/hr winds killed 5 people, felled trees and toppled lorries. Thousands lost power and travellers were stranded at Gatwick Airport.

Question 8

What are the 4 different types of flooding

Answer 8

There are four different types of flooding: coastal flooding, river flash flooding, slow-onset river flooding and surface water flooding.

Question 9

How is flooding in the UK caused

Answer 9

Flooding in the UK is caused by heavy rainfall or strong waves brought by a depression.

Question 10

What can flooding cause (secondary hazard) Give an example

Answer 10

Flooding may also trigger landslides as a secondary hazard. At Ockley in Southern England in 2013, more than 40 meters of major railway embankment collapsed after heavy rainfall, disrupting London commuters for weeks.

Question 11

Give an example of flash flooding

Answer 11

An example of flash flooding is Boscastle in 2004, where 185mm of rain fell in 5 hours.

Question 12

Define drought

Answer 12

Drought is defined as an extended period of low or absent rainfall relative to the expected average for a region.

Question 13

How is drought defined in the UK

Answer 13

In the UK, a drought is where there is 15 consecutive days with less than 0.2mm of rain on any one day

Question 14

What can drought result to

Answer 14

Drought results in insufficient moisture for average crop production, particularly if there is low water reserves in reservoirs.

Question 15

Give an example of drought in the UK

Answer 15

The longest drought in the UK occurred over an 18 month period in 1975 and 1976. In Cheltenham, the temperature exceeded 32 degrees celsius for seven successive days.

Question 16

When has drought hit the UK

Answer 16

Drought has hit the UK in 2003, 2006 and 2012. The 2003 drought killed 20,000 across Europe.

Question 17

What years were winters considered extreme

Answer 17

The winters of 1946-47, 1962-63 and 1978-79 were exceptionally cold. Other unusually cold winters include 2010-11 and 2014-15

Question 18

How are cold conditions caused in the UK

Answer 18

Cold conditions take over if depressions are not passing over the UK as usual.

Question 19

Name and explain 3 weather risks of extreme cold

Answer 19

Frost - crops and cattle may not survive extremes of around -10 degrees celsius.

Freezing conditions - over 17,000 trains were cancelled in January 2014 because of freezing conditions.

Blizzard conditions - transport grinds to a halt, creating costly airline delays.

Question 20

Define heatwave

Answer 20

A heat wave is defined as a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity

Question 21

How are heat waves measured

Answer 21

Heatwaves are measured relative to the usual weather and temperature of an area.

Question 22

How is a heatwave defined in the UK

Answer 22

In the UK, any temperature above 24 degrees celsius is considered to be a heatwave.

Question 23

Give an example of a UK heatwave

Answer 23

In the summer of 2003, Europe suffered from an intense heat wave. In the UK the temperature of 38.5 degrees celsius was the highest to ever be recorded.

Question 24

Describe and explain the impacts of one type of extreme weather experienced in the UK.

Answer 24

The impacts of extreme cold weather are freezing conditions. Freezing conditions can cause roads (with old tarmac) to crack. This could then result in road accidents.
Another impact of extreme cold weather is that it could freeze and destroy crops and cattle. This could lead in a loss in profit for a farmer.
Also, extreme weather can freeze the ground. This could lead to flooding as if it rains, the rain will not be able to fully permeate through the ground.