Tropica Storms

Question 1

The nature and cause of tropical storms ?

Answer 1

Formation
This means that the sea surface is warmer (above 27 degrees). This causes warm moist warm to rise (convection)
Secondly, the rising air cools and condenses which creates clouds
Condensation release latent heat, this further warms the air and it rises,cools and condenses and releases further latent heat-forms continuous upwards convection currents
As the storm develops, warm moist air is drawn into the low-pressure system over the arm ocean, providing more fuel for convergence
The rising air rotates due to the Coriolis force, forming convection currents into one tropical storm
Upper atmosphere air rotation spreads air outwards and away from the storm
(the 4 C’s)

Question 2

The distribution of storm events ….

Answer 2

Such storms occur between 5 and 20 degrees north and south of the equator
- Highest sun concentration
- Ocean warmed and hot air rises convection
- - Falls (10-20) north and south
- Therefore hurricanes occur in these paces

Concentration near Central America, East Asia and the subcontinents
- Secondary characteristics of distribution is due to the concentration of warm water at depths greater than 70m

Storms move from the equator north (if north of the equator) and south (if south of the equator)
- Secondary characteristics of the distribution is due to the influence of the coriolis effect

Question 3

The magnitude and frequency of storm events …..

Answer 3

tropical revolving storms are measured on the Saffir Simpson Scale, a 5 point scale based solely upon wind speed
The average lifespan of a tropical storm is around 7-14 days (although it is believed that they may last longer due to climate change)
Every year 80-100 storms develop, 80% become tropical revolving storms

Question 4

Primary effects ….

Answer 4

the immediate effects of a tropical storm is strong winds (often exceed 150km/h)
Heavy rainfall (often exceeding 200-300mm)
Storm surges

Question 5

Secondary effects ….

Answer 5

storm surges can cause structural damage to buildings, roads and bridges
Heavy rainfall can lead to severe flooding, landslides and mudslides
Storm surges often devastate low lying land such as river deltas and often cause the majority of deaths.

Question 6

Environmental effects ……

Question 7

Political effects ……

Question 8

Social effects

Question 9

Economic effects ….

Question 10

Explain the physical and human factors affecting the vulnerability of a population to a tropical storm?

Answer 10

the intensity
Warnings and community response
Preparedness made by a community
The geography of the coastal area
Distance from the sea
Speed of movement (length of time over an area)

Question 11

What are the impacts of climate change on tropical storms?

Answer 11

increase in the intensity
Decrease in the number of tropical storms, but an intense increase in the frequency of the most intense ones
Slow moving tropical storms will become more common
(This is because of the increase in temperatures of the polar regions. Less temperature difference between the tropics and the polar regions)

Question 12

Response for tropical storms

Question 13

Name high HDI

Answer 13

Hurricane Katrina, USA, 2005

Question 14

Katrina Facts:
- characteristics of place / hazard
- primary / secondary events
- risk / vulnerable
- short / long term response

Answer 14

Characteristics of place:
- low lying river delta
- were not prepared for the levees to break (low tax base led to low levels of maintenace)
- one of the poorest cities in America
- distrust of government due to history neglect / slavery led to poor response response to evacuation order and relief effort

Characterics of the hazard:
- wind speed 280kmh
- Saffir Simpson: 5
- storm surge: 10 m
- 380mm in 12hrs of rainfall

Primary:
- heavy rainfall
- storm surge 10m
- high wind speeds

Secondary:
- losses of 200 billion
- 1234 deaths
- 1 million homeless
- 100,000 properties destroyed

Risks/ vulnerable
- were not prepared for the levees to break.
- poorer area, and low tax led to poor manintance of levees

Long term Management
- media backlash led to an extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction
- built Great Wall of Louisiana - new levee

Short Term Responses
- 10.5 billion in aid in month after storm
- national guard was mobilised and a state of emergency was declared (however a delayed response due to looting and homlessness)

Question 15

Low HDI case study

Answer 15

Typhoon Haiyan, Phillipines 2013

Question 16

Typhoon Haiyan Facts:
- Characteristics of place / hazard
- Primary / secondary effects
- risk / vulnerability
- long / short term response

Answer 16

What are the characteristics of the place?
low lying archipelago (cities on the coast)
No extensive defences, especially from the sea
Rapidly industrialising and urbanisation (⅓ of population in poverty)
Rapidly growing population with an average 240 people per km^2 and up to 2000 people per km^2 in some areas

What are the characteristics of the storm?
wind speed: 250 kph
Saffir Simpson: 5
Air pressure: 895 mb
Storm surge: 6m
Rainfall: 300mm/12 hrs

What were the primary impacts?
Heavy rainfall
Storm surge 6m
High wind speeds

What are the secondary impacts?
Losses of 3 billion
6200 deaths
2m homeless
6m displaced
All properties destroyed

Was the area vulnerable?
the high speed of development hindered land use planning
Rapid urbanisation which led to (65% of the population) concentrating people in vulnerable coastal areas
Many people lack education to understand how to protect themselves and respond
Storm shelters were too weak

What are the long term management strategies?
Relief was effective based on learning from previous events
New housing to relocate survivors built inland but poor sanitation and being located far from work made it a poor response. (Informal settlements in vulnerable coastal area
90% of formal settlements were reconstructed within 5 years

What are the short term response strategies?
the US and UK navy supported the UN and aid agencies. They were active within 24hrs

Question 17

Evaluate the case studies……

Answer 17

Which was the worst disaster?
Although both hurricanes were bad, I think that Haitian was the worse disaster. This is because Haiyan had more deaths and made more people homeless, although Katrina had a large economic cost.

Do the hazard characteristics best explain the difference?
had similar physical characteristics
Katrina’s were slightly worse
Katrina also suffered a 300b loss compared to 3b which is 100x. This could be due to Katrina having worse characteristics, however large amounts of this cost is linked to the country being wealthier, therefore damages to buildings cost more to repair compared to the poorer islands in the Philippines
Therefore hazard characteristics do not explain impacts

Do the characteristics of the people/place best explain the difference?
Although haiyans physical properties were not worse, the country’s population was more vulnerable, as it is a poorer country compared to the USA. Therefore less money is spent on prevention and building codes. Therefore the area is less prepared and more vulnerable to a tropical storm. This is shown by a rage number of deaths, 2x as many people left homeless and 6x a many people displaced