storm hazards Flashcards
Tropical storm
a low pressure, rotating wind system (high wind, torrential rain)
conditions for tropical storms to form
temperature - 26 - 27 degrees Celsius
air pressure - must be in areas of unstable air pressure (high pressure and low pressure meet)
wind shear - winds must be present for swirling motion to form
trigger - pre existing storm can develop into a tropical storm when these conditions are present
formation of tropical storm
- warm, moist air rises leaving an area of low pressure, causing more warm air to move into this area and rise too.
- when warm air rises it cools, condensing into thunderstorm clouds
- the whole system spins due to the Coriolis effect
- the constant additions of energy causes the storm to spin faster and generate higher wind speeds
- the eye of the storm is in the centre, it is an area of low pressure that is cool and dry which is calm and cloud free
- the eyeball is the most intense nd powerful area of the storm, warm moist air rapidly rises with extremely high winders and torrential rain.
what happens when tropical storms reach land
the low pressure and high pressure cause a large amount of water tube taken into the system and then released as a storm surge
when the storm reaches land it no longer has a supply of energy and the eye eventually collapses but heavy rain can persist for days.
response to tropical storms
Tropical storms form away from land meaning satellite tracking of cloud formations and movement can be tracked and the general route can be predicted.
The closer the hurricane gets, the easier it is to predict. Storm surges can also be predicted based on the pressure and intensity of the storm.
From past storms and climatic trends, the probability of a storm hitting an area can also be predicted. Scientists have predicted how many years it will take for a tropical storm to hit certain areas.
hazards caused by tropical storms
high winds, flooding, landslides, storm surges
high winds
over 300km/h and therefore very strong, strong enough to blow houses down and blow heavy debris around
flooding
coastal/river flooding - causes damage and disrupts travel
landslides
occur due to soil becoming heavy when wet with high levels of rain, causes destruction of houses, roads etc..
storm surges
large rise in sea levels causes by low pressure and high winds pushing water towards the coast
environmental effects of tropical storms
primary - beaches eroded, sand displaces, coastal habitats destroyed
secondary - river flooding/ salt water contamination, animals displaced, water sources changing course from blockages
economic effects of tropical storms
primary - businesses destroyed, agricultural land damaged
secondary - rebuilding and insurance payout, sources of income lost, economic decline from sources of income destroyed
social effects of tropical storms
primary - drowning, debris carried by high winds can kill or injure people, building destroyed
secondary - homelessness, polluted water supplies spread disease, food shortages from damaged land
political effects of tropical storms
primary - government buildings destroyed
secondary - issues paying back international aid, pressure for government to do more about global warming
prevention
tropical storms cannot be avoided
