Weather Hazards

Question 1

Economic Impact

Answer 1

The effect of an event on the wealth of an area or community.

Question 2

Environmental Impact

Answer 2

The effect of an event on the landscape and ecology of the surrounding area.

Question 3

Extreme Weather

Answer 3

This is when a weather event is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern, and is especially severe or unseasonal. This may take place over one day or a period of time. A severe snow blizzard or heat wave are two examples of extreme weather in the UK.

Question 4

Global Atmospheric Circulation

Answer 4

The worldwide system of winds, which transports heat from tropical to polar latitudes. In each hemisphere, air also circulates through the entire depth of the troposphere which extends up to 15km.

Question 5

Immediate Responses

Answer 5

The reaction of people as the disaster happens and in the immediate aftermath.

Question 6

Long-term Responses

Answer 6

Later reactions that occur in the weeks, months and years after the event.

Question 7

Management Strategies

Answer 7

Techniques of controlling, responding to, or dealing with an event.

Question 8

Monitoring

Answer 8

Recording physical changes, such as tracking a tropical storm by satellite, to help forecast when and where a natural hazard might strike.

Question 9

Planning

Answer 9

Actions taken to enable communities to respond to, and recover from, natural disasters, through measures such as emergency evacuation plans, information management, communications and warning systems.

Question 10

Prediction

Answer 10

Attempts to forecast when and where a natural hazard will strike, based on current knowledge. This can be done to some extent for tropical storms (and volcanic eruptions, but less reliably for earthquakes).

Question 11

Primary Effects

Answer 11

The initial impact of a natural event on people and property, caused directly by it, for instance buildings being partially or wholly destroyed by a tropical storm.

Question 12

Protection

Answer 12

Actions taken before a hazard strikes to reduce its impact, such as educating people or improving building design.

Question 13

Secondary Effects

Answer 13

The after effects that occur as indirect impacts of a natural event, sometimes on a longer timescale, for instance impact on access to potable water can lead to the spread of disease.

Question 14

Social Impact

Answer 14

The effect of an event on the lives of people or community.

Question 15

Tropical Storm

Answer 15

Hurricane, Cyclone, Typhoon
An area of low pressure with winds moving in a spiral around the calm central point called the eye of the storm. Winds are powerful and rainfall is heavy.

Question 16

What causes winds?

Answer 16

Wind is large scale movements in air caused by differnce in air pressure. Winds move from high pressure to low pressure. Warm air rises causes low pressure.

Question 17

What is the weather like at the equator?

Answer 17

Sun warms the earth, heat rises, rising air leads to low pressure, clouds and rain.

Question 18

What happens to hot air rising at the equator?

Answer 18

As it rises, the air cools and moves out to 30 degrees North and South of the Equator.

Question 19

What happens to hot air that cools 30 degrees North and South of the Equator?

Answer 19

Cool air sinks, creates high pressure, no clouds and low rainfall. The high pressure then creates surface wind flowing to the Equator or towards the Poles. These winds are called Trade Winds.

Question 20

How do tropical storms form over warm water?

Answer 20

Develop when sea temperature is greater than 27 degrees and difference in wind speed is low between lower and higher parts of the atmosphere.
Warm air rises and condensation occurs. This releases a huge amount of energy.

Question 21

Where do tropical storms occur?

Answer 21

Between 5 and 30 degrees North and South of the Equator. The sea is warm enough. Most occur in Northern hemisphere in late Summer and Autumn.

Question 22

What are the features of a tropical storm?

Answer 22

Circular in shape, hundreds of kilometres wide, last 7-14 days. Anticlockwise in the North. Clockwise in the South.

Question 23

Features of the eye of a storm?

Answer 23

Centre is the eye and is caused by descending air. Low pressure, light winds, no cloud, no rain, high temperature.

Question 24

Structure of a storm?

Answer 24

Eye surrounded by an eye wall, spiralling rising air, strong winds, storm clouds, torrential rain, low temperatures.

The edge of storm, the wind drops, clouds become smaller and rain less intense.

Question 25

How does climate change affect tropical storms?

Answer 25

More water above 27 degrees and for longer periods of the year. Means storms will be stronger, creating more damage.

Question 26

Primary effects of a tropical storm?

Answer 26

Buildings and bridges destroyed. Rivers and coastal areas flood. People drown, killed by debris. Damaged roads, rails. Damaged electricity cables. Sewage overflows.

Question 27

Secondary effects of a tropical storm?

Answer 27

Homeless people (ill health, death), water shortage, poor sanitation, spread disease, roads blocked, businesses destroyed, food shortage.

Question 28

Immediate response to a tropical storm?

Answer 28

Evacuate ahead of storm, rescue people, temporary shelters, temporary supplies of food and water, recover dead bodies, send aid workers.

Question 29

Long term responses to a tropical storm?

Answer 29

Repair homes, re-house people, repair infrastructure, repair flood defences, aid to strengthen homes, promote economic recovery.

Question 30

What are UK weather hazards?

Answer 30

Rain (flooding, damage homes, disrupt transport), Snow and Ice (injuries, death, businesses and schools shut, damage crops), Hailstone (driving dangerous, destroy property and crops), Drought (lack of water, crop damage), Wind (damage property, uproot trees, strong coastal winds), Thunderstorm (Heavy rain, Lightning causes fires) and Heat waves (heat exhaustion, breathing difficulties, rails buckling, roads melting)

Question 31

Is UK weather becoming more extreme?

Answer 31

More extreme temperatures (hot and cold), raining more, more flooding.