formation of hurricanes Flashcards
(21 cards)
What wind speed can hurricanes exceed?
250 km/h
What can hurricanes destroy?
Plants and buildings
Hurricanes transport ______ through the air
Debris
What can the extreme rainfall from hurricanes lead to?
Flooding and mudslides
Hurricanes form over water that is _______ degrees Celsius or warmer
26.5
What increases the speed and energy of a tropical storm?
Lots of energy is released when air evaporates, rises or cools.
The strength of a storm _____ as they move further ______ from warm water (on land, cooler part of ocean)
falls, away
Where are surface winds, mainly trade winds moving east?
Near the equator
What causes tropical storms to move from east to west?
Trade winds and the Coriolis Effect
What kind of pressure does rising warm air above warm oceans cause?
Low
What is the Coriolis effect?
the effect caused by the rotation of the earth, making tropical storms spin by deflecting winds
________ ________ is likely to affect the distribution, frequency and intensity of tropical storms
Climate change
Climate change is expected to lead in a ____ of temperatures
rise
If climate change causes seas to be warmer than 26.5 degrees Celsius, what will this mean for tropical storms?
Tropical storms will increase and those that occur will have more energy
If climate change causes sea temperatures to rise above 26.5 C, how would this impact the frequency of tropical storms?
Frequency of storms will rise and hurricane season will get longer
If climate change causes sea temperatures to rise above 26.5 C, how would this impact the intensity of the storms?
The tropical storms will accumulate more energy and therefore the intensity of the storm will be greater
What do more intense tropical storms cause?
More damage to buildings, infrastructure and people.
State some primary effects of hurricanes:
Drowning
Injured or killed people due to blown debris
Contaminated water supplies
Sewage is released due to flooding
Electric supplies are cut off due to power lines being destroyed.
State some secondary effects of hurricanes:
People left homeless
Lack of clean water/ sanitation - an increase in water-borne diseases
Crops and livestock destroyed - food shortages
Debris- blocked railways/ roads - difficult to provide support or aid
Unemployment - due to damaged businesses
State some immediate responses to hurricanes:
People are evacuated before the storm lands
Rescue people trapped and provide medical support for those who are injured
Temporary shelters set up for those who are left homeless by the storm
Aid provided by governments and NGO’s e.g Oxfam
State some long - term responses to hurricanes:
Rebuild and repair properties
Repair transport infrastructure
Improve forecasting and early warning systems
Provide aid to people to rebuild their homes
