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Geography > weather hazards + climate change > Flashcards

weather hazards + climate change Flashcards

1
Q

when air sinks what pressure belt does it create

A

high pressure

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2
Q

when air rises, areas of what pressure are created

A

low

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3
Q

which direction do winds move in

A

from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure

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4
Q

why is it cloudy and wet in the UK

A
  • the UK is close to the boundry of cold polar air movign down from the north and warm sub-tropical air moving up from the south
  • the boundry is unstable
  • there is rising air and low pressure belts, the rising air cools, condenses and forms cloud and rain
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5
Q

why is it hot and dry in the desert (but cold at night)

A
  • found about 30 degrees north and south of Equator
  • here the air is sinking, making a belt of high pressure
  • air isn’t rising so few clouds forming and little rainfall
  • lack of cloud makes it hot during the day (due to direct sun) and cold during the night as heat is lost quickly from the ground
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6
Q

Why is it hot and humid at the equator and what would you find there

A
  • air is rising and there is another belt of low pressure
  • much hotter than UK due to sun directly overhead
  • often cloudy with high rainfall due to rising air
  • this is where tropical rainforests are found
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7
Q

what is a tropical storm

A
  • a large storm that develops in Tropics
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8
Q

what are tropical storms called in the USA and caribbean

A

hurricanes

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9
Q

what are tropical storms called in south-east Asia and Australia

A

cyclones

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10
Q

what are tropical storms called in Japan and the Philippines

A

typhoons

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11
Q

why do they form in the tropics

A

because they from over warm oceans (above 27 degrees)

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12
Q

What seasons do they form in and why

A

Autumn and summer when sea temperatures are highest

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13
Q

Why are tropical storms not found at the equator

A

because there is not enough ‘spin’ from the rotation of the earth (coriolis effect)

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14
Q

how do tropical storms form

A
  • strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from warm ocean surface
  • evaporated air cools as it rises and condenses to from thunderstorm clouds
  • as air condenses it releases heat which powers the storm and draws up more water
  • several smaller thunderstorms join to froma a giant spinning storm
  • when surface winds reach high enough, the storm officially becomes a tropical storm
  • now develops an eye (calm spot) and eye wall (most intense area)
  • as storm is carried across ocean by prevaiing winds, it gathers strength
  • on reaching land, the storms energy supply (evaported warm water) is cut off. Friction with land slows it down and causes it to weaken
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15
Q

How strong do the surface winds need to be for a storm to be a tropical storm

A

120 km per hour

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16
Q

why is the eye so calm

A

because air is descending

17
Q

what is thought to happen to the frequency of tropical storms in the future

A

stay the same or decrease

18
Q

what is thought to happen to the intensity of tropical storms in the future + why

A

intensity may increase, most likely linked to the increases in sea surface temperatures

19
Q

what is thought to happen to the distribution of tropical storms in the future

A

the distribution area will expand because sea surface temperatures reach 27 degrees outside of the current hazard zone

20
Q

3 ways to reduce effects of tropical storms

A
  • predicton/monitoring
  • protection
  • planning
21
Q

How does monitoring and prediction help to reduce effects of tropical storms + what are the 2 levels of warning

A
  • developments in technology have made it possible to predict storms accurately and effectively
  • hurricane watch - advises that hurrican conditions are possible
  • hurricane warning - advises that hurricane conditions are expected and that people should tale immediate action
22
Q

How does protection reduce the effect of climate change

A
  • reinforced windows, doors and roofs to withstand strong winds
  • storm drains to take away excessive amounts of rainfall to prevent flooding
  • sea walls to protect from storm surges
  • houses constructe on stilts so that storm surges pass underneath
  • in Bangladesh, nearly 2000 cyclone shelters have been built
23
Q

How does planning reduce effects of tropical storms

A
  • raises individual and community awareness
  • e.g education people about the dangers of tropical storms
  • ## encourage people to make a plan should a warning be issued
24
Q

why does the UK experience some extreme weather

A

The UK is at the meeting point of several different types of weather from different directions

25
Q

where and when did flash flooding take place in the UK and what was it caused by

A

2004 - Boscastle in Cornwall caused by the torrential rain from thunderstorms

26
Q

What is an impact of heat waves in the UK and when did one take place

A
  • rivers can dry up and reservoirs become low (affecting water supply and wildlife)
  • high temperatures can be dangerous to elderly people
  • in 2003 UK suffered most extreme heatwave (highest recorded temperature ever) and over 20,000 people died
27
Q

Somerset level floods - where and when

A

**2004 **
Somerset is a county in south-west England

28
Q

Somerset level floods - causes

A
  • wettest january since records began
  • succession of depressions(areas of low pressure) driven across Atlanic Ocean brought a period of wet weather that lasted months
  • High tides and storm surges swept water up the rivers from the Bristol Channel. this prevented fresh water reaching the sea and it spilled over river banks
  • River had not been dredged for at least 20 years, meaning it had become clogged with sediment
29
Q

Somerset level floods - social impacts

A
  • 600 houses flooded
  • 16 farms evacuated
  • residants evacuated to temporary accommodation for several months
  • power supplies cut off
30
Q

Somerset level floods - economic impacts

A
  • cost the Somerset County Council more than £10 million
  • over 1000 livestock evacuated
  • local roads and railways shut
31
Q

Somerset level floods - environmental impacts

A
  • floodwaters were heavily comtaminated with sewage and other pollutants such as oils and chemicals
  • huge amount of debris had to be cleared
32
Q

Somerset level floods - immediate response

A
  • villages who had been cut off used boats to go shopping or to school
  • local communtiy groups and volunteers gave invaluable support
33
Q

Somerset level floods - long term responses

A
  • rivers were dredged to increase capacity
  • road levels have been raised
  • river banks raised
  • vulnerable communities will have flood defences

Geography (14 decks)

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