Weather And Climate (the Right One)

Question 1

What is in constant motion?

Answer 1

The earths atmosphere

Question 2

Why does the equator receive the most concentrated radiation?

Answer 2

Because the Suns Ray’s hit the surface closest to a right angle. This is the hottest part of the surface.

Question 3

In polar areas, the sun’s rays hit the surface at a lower angle. Why is it colder?

Answer 3

Because there is a larger area to heat

Question 4

As air is heated by the ground, it rises, causing what?

Answer 4

Low pressure

Question 5

In places air sinks, causing what?

Answer 5

High pressure

Question 6

What does differences in pressure cause?

Answer 6

It causes winds, which redistribute heat from the tropics across the planet

Question 7

What is the Coriolis effect?

Answer 7

As the air moves above the surface of the earth, the planet continues to rotate. This means that is a mass of air moves north from the equator over a large distance, it will appear to have been deflected to the right and not travelled straight north. This is because the earth has rotated below the air, making it appear that the air has travelled in a curve. In the Southern Hemisphere, winds are deflected to the left.

Question 8

Go to page 96

Answer 8

And look at the circulation cells

Question 9

What is the movement of air within circulation cells controlled by?

Answer 9

It’s controlled by heating and cooling. The earth receives all of its heat from solar radiation from the sun. The radiation passes through the atmosphere and heats up the ground directly. As the ground heats up it warms the air above it, providing the heat in our atmosphere. As the earth is roughly spherical in shape, not all areas receive the same amount of radiation from the sun. This is because the surface of the planet is curved, therefore the radiation from the sun hits the earths surface at differing relative angles.

Question 10

How do jet streams have an impact on air movement?

Answer 10

Jet streams form mostly at the boundaries of the main circulations cells (eg at the boundary of a polar cell and a Ferrel cell) where there is significant temperature difference. There streams can affect the movement of other weather systems and can therefore change the weather for different areas.

Question 11

What are jet streams?

Answer 11

A fast-moving current of air in the upper atmosphere

Question 12

What is a Ferrel cell?

Answer 12

A circulation cell that brings warm air towards the uk

Question 13

What is a Hadley cell?

Answer 13

A circulation cell near the equator responsible for storms at the equator and desert belts north and south of the equator.

Question 14

What is a polar cell?

Answer 14

The circulation cell furthest from the equator that brings cold air south towards the uk

Question 15

What is oceanic circulation?

Answer 15

When oceans redistribute heat around the earth

Question 16

What are surface ocean currents driven by?

Answer 16

By the movement of wind across the top of the water

Question 17

What are deep ocean currents driven by?

Answer 17

By water sinking and rising as a result of temperature changes

Question 18

What are both types of ocean currents deflected by?

Answer 18

The Coriolis effect

Question 19

What do some ocean currents play a part in?

Answer 19

Some ocean currents play a part in heat redistribution include the Gulf Stream, which brings warm water from the Caribbean Sea across the Atlantic Ocean to the uk, and the Humboldt current, which takes cold water from the southern tip of chile north to Peru and supports a large amount of marine life.

Question 20

What is climate change?

Answer 20

Climate change refers to how the average climatic conditions of the planet vary over time. At some points in our planets history the earth has been comparatively warm and during other periods it has been significantly colder. The planets history is divided into periods and the climate during the quaternary period has changed many times.

Question 21

What is climate?

Answer 21

The average weather conditions of an area occurring over many years

Question 22

What does climate change mean?

Answer 22

Variations in temperature and rainfall affecting the whole world

Question 23

What is the quaternary period?

Answer 23

The current period of geological time

Question 24

How can climate change occur?

Answer 24

Through both natural and human causes. Natural causes have been responsible for most climate change during the majority of the earths history, with human causes having a greater impact over the last 250 years compared with natural causes, particularly since the industrial revolution.

Question 25

Describe natural causes of climate change?

Answer 25

There are several natural processes that can lead to climate change. One such process is milankovitch cycles. These are natural changes to the earths orbit and position that affect how much radiation we receive from the sun. Sometimes these cause us to receive more radiation than normal, resulting in global warming, and sometimes lead to us receiving less than normal, leading to global cooling.

Question 26

What are the 3 types of milankovitch cycles?

Answer 26

Eccentricity, axial tilt, precession

Question 27

What is the eccentricity cycle?

Answer 27

The orbit of the earth changes shape over long periods of time, approximately every 100,000 years. This means that sometimes the earth’s orbit around he sun is more circular, making us slightly warmer (interglacial), and sometimes the orbit becomes more elliptical, making the earth slightly cooler (glacial)

Question 28

Describe the axial tilt cycle?

Answer 28

The earth does not sit with the north and south poles exactly at the top and bottom of the planet. In fact,nature earth is tilted so that the poles are actually rotated approximately 23 degrees from a vertical position. This creates our seasons north and south of the equator. However, over a period of approximately 40,000 years, the angle of the tilt changes. This means that sometimes the earth is tilted further away from the sun, which makes the difference in the season’s more pronounced (summers are warmer and winters are colder). When it is closer to the sun, the difference in the seasons is less.

Question 29

Describe the precession cycle

Answer 29

As the earth rotates on its axis (which is what gives us day and night), it does not do so perfectly. In fact the earth wobbles on its axis, in a similar way to a spinning top as it slows down. As this happens, the direction the axis is facing changes. This affects our seasons and creates either greater or smaller differences between summer and winter. This occurs over a period of approximately 24,000 years.

Question 30

How is solar variation a cause of global climate change?

Answer 30

The amount of radiation the sun produces over time. Periods of lower solar activity are likely to lead to glacial periods and those with higher activity lead to interglacial period

Question 31

How is volcanism a natural cause of global climate change?

Answer 31

Large-scale volcanic eruptions can eject huge volumes of ash and dust into the atmosphere. Some eruptions can produce so much that the volcanic material can partially block our solar radiation, reducing temperatures and causing glacial periods

Question 32

How is surface impact a natural cause of climate change?

Answer 32

Large cosmic material, such as asteroids and comets, can impact the earths surface. This can eject large volumes of dust into the atmosphere, partially blocking solar radiation and leading to glacial periods. Climate change is caused by surface impact can have dramatic effects on life. One such impact approximately 65 million years ago is considered to be responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. It is not the force of the impact that is thought to have wiped them out however, but rather the massive climate change that was created by the impact.

Question 33

Trees live for hundreds of years, in some cases thousands, they can experience the impact of climate change. As trees grow they produce growth rings that can be seen in a cross section of a trunk. What can these growth rings tell us about climate change?

Answer 33

Growth rings tend to be wider in warmer, wetter climates and thinner in colder, drier climates. Analysing the rings can tell us what the climate was like throughout the trees history. However, while this is helpful, we can only get this data for the length of time the tree has been alive. To gather data from further in the past, we can use ice sheet cores

Question 34

How can ice cores tell us about the history of climate change?

Answer 34

Ice cores are drilled sections of ice from sheets in locations such as Antarctica and Greenland. As snow falls it is compressed into ice layers and these layers capture information about the climate at yen time they were formed. This is because they can contain volcanic ash, microbes, pollen and even bubbles of air trapped when the ice formed. All of this can give invaluable information on past climates

Question 35

How is pollen useful information about the earths climate change history?

Answer 35

Pollen is produced by all flowering plants and distinct shapes and structure of pollen allows us to identify which plant the pollen has come from. Pollen can become trapped in ice and in sedimentary rocks. Since certain plants can only grown in certain conditions, this gives us information a hit what the climate must have been like when the rock or ice in which the pollen was trapped formed.

Question 36

What documents and we use to find out about historical climates?

Answer 36

Personal diaries and religious records. These documents include destroy ions of what the climate was like during the past

Question 37

What is the greenhouse affect?

Answer 37

The green house affect is a natural process which keeps the earth warm. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap some of the heat that is radiated from the surface which would otherwise have been lost in space. Without this effect, the average temperature of the earth would be much cooler

Question 38

Human activity has resulted in a large increase in the human production of green house gases, leading to the enhanced green house affect and global warming. Describe all the green house gases

Answer 38

Industrial processes, transportation, agricultural by-products, fossil fuels, power stations, waster disposal and treatment, land use and biomass burning, residential, commercial, co2, methane , nitrios oxide

Question 39

How does industry impact climate change?

Answer 39

As levels of disposable income rose, increased demand for the production of the consumer goods leads to industry growth and the need for more energy, resulting in more fossil fuels being burnt

Question 40

How does transportation impact climate change?

Answer 40

With cars becoming more affordable and more people taking flights over long distances, huge quantities of fuel are used. Almost all transport relies on burning fossil fuels in some way, again increasing the amount of greenhouse gases released

Question 41

How does energy impact climate change?

Answer 41

The demand for electricity is growing because of increasing population and new technologies. Most of out energy is produced through burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), which produce greenhouse gases

Question 42

How doe farming impact climate change?

Answer 42

Population growth has led to a higher demand for food production. Mechanisation means more fuel is burnt, and intensive farming of cattle and rice repost in increased production of methane, which is a greenhouse gas.

Question 43

How does climate change impact food production?

Answer 43

Plants are able to produce there own food through photosynthesis. Animals eat plants (herbivores) or other animals haven eaten plants (carnivores) or they eat both plants and animals. This makes plants a vital source. Photosynthesis is a complicated process and can be negatively affected by increases in temperature or decreases in sunlight, both of which can occur because of global climate change. With lower crop yields, large sections of the population could suffer from malnutrition, a problem what will be worse in developing countries.

Question 44

What is the most commonly known impact of climate change?

Answer 44

A likely rise in sea level. An increase in temperature will result in sea level an increase in temperature will result in land-based ice, particularly in the continent of Antarctica, melting and adding to the amount of water in the oceans.

Question 45

What is thermal expansion?

Answer 45

It’s another cause of sea levels to rise. Warm water occupies a greater volume than colder water. A rise in global temperatures will cause the oceans to expand in volume, further adding to sea level rise.

Question 46

The Maldives is a country located in the Indian Ocean which is made up of nearly 1200 small coral islands. The Maldives is the flattest country on earth, the highest point being only 2.4 meters above sea level. How much is it predicted that global sea levels will rise before the end of the century?

Answer 46

It varies from 20cm to more than 1m. This puts large areas of the Maldives at serious risk. As a developing country, the Maldives relies heavily on tourism. The main attractions of the islands are its sandy beaches, clear seas and coral reefs teeming with fish. Almost all of the country’s infrastructure is under threat from sea level rise. Eg, the country’s international airports, vital to the tourism industry are built 50m of the coastline

Question 47

How is the Maldives responding to the threat of sea level rise?

Answer 47

With plans to migrate the impacts on the country. These include increasing rainwater harvesting to reduce reliance on groundwater supplies as well as trying to protect the groundwater supples from sea water infiltration to higher levels. The possibility of mass migration away from the country has also been discussed.

Question 48

What are the social impacts of sea level rise on the Maldives?,

Answer 48

Higher sea levels and more regular storms lead to periodic flooding of coastal areas. In 2007, more than 1600 people had to be evacuated because of coastal flooding.

Question 49

What are the economic impacts of the sea level rise in the Maldives?

Answer 49

The key attractions of beaches and coral reefs will become inaccessible, leading to a loss of employment in tourism. Cost of evacuations and rehousing will continue to increase.

Question 50

What are the environmental impacts of the sea level rise in the Maldives?

Answer 50

Groundwater supplies are contaminated with sea water flowing into the islands. The soil is also contaminated. Temperature increases in the surrounding ocean may lead to bleaching and death of the islands coral reefs

Question 51

Describe retreating glaciers

Answer 51

Glaciers and ice sheets account for most of the land-based ice around the world, as well as approximately 10% of the planets total land area. With increasing global temperatures, many glaciers are showing a pattern of retreat, meaning they are becoming smaller, and ice sheets are thinning

Question 52

Describe the consequences of melting ice sheets

Answer 52

Melting of high mountain glaciers such as those in the Himalayas upon which farmers in India and Pakistan rely for irritation water, can lead to flooding of the local area in the short term. However, in the long term, with a smaller volume of ice available in the glacier, there may be water shortages because less water is produced by the glacier on a regular basis. On a global scale, melting ice sheets will add more water to oceans, leading to sea level rise

Question 53

Where is the uk located?

Answer 53

Between 50 and 60 degrees N of the equator. Distance from the equator has an impact on climate: locations further north and south from the equator receive less solar radiation than areas closer to the equator. The uk’s climate is best described as temperature. Extremes of weather are uncommon and extreme weather events such as tornadoes and prolonged droughts are rare. As a result of the meeting of major air masses over the uk, particularly cool air from the north and south, frontal rainfall is quite common throughout the year

Question 54

What is frontal rain?

Answer 54

A front in the boundary between air masses.mis moist air rises along the front, as the air cools clouds form and rain may fall

Question 55

Describe the medieval warm period

Answer 55

The medieval warm period occurred between approximately 950 and 1100. During this period, the temperatures in the uk were high enough to support the growth of grape vines as far north as York and also allowed greater crop yields across the uk. The population increased significantly beat sue of milder winters and a greater availability of food. This period has been attributed to increased solar activity and possible period of low volcanic activity across the world.

Question 56

What was the little ice age?

Answer 56

The little ice age was the period between the medieval warm period and the modern climate, between 1600 and 1850, when temperatures in the UK were low enough for the river Thames to freeze to a sufficient thickness for people to walk on. The extended winters caused widespread crop failures. This period has been attributed to some extreme volcanic eruptions as well as a decrease in solar activity

Question 57

Over the last 1000 years what has been climate changes two major changes?

Answer 57

The medieval warm period and the little ice age

Question 58

How does the maritime influence impact the UKs climate?

Answer 58

As the UK is surrounded by sea, most of the air that reaches us contains a large amount of moisture, resulting in consistent rainfall throughout the year

Question 59

How does prevailing wind impact the UKs climate?

Answer 59

The prevailing wind is the most common wind direction, which is the UK is from the southwest. It has travelled over large expanses of warm ocean, so this air is warm and contains a lot of moisture. The prevailing wind reaches the western areas of the UK first and releases this moisture as rain there. This leaves the eastern side of the UK relatively drier.

Question 60

How does the North Atlantic drift impact the UKs climate?

Answer 60

A warm ocean current called the North Atlantic drift bring warm water north to the UK from the Gulf of Mexico, driven by the prevailing wind. This current of warm water has a particular effect during the winter, making the UK climate milder than would be expected for our latitude.

Question 61

How do circulation cells impact the UKs climate?

Answer 61

The UK Is located near the ‘boundary’ between the northern Ferrel and polar circulation cells. At this boundary, warm air from the south and cooler air from the north meet, leading to the formation of depressions and unsettled weather

Question 62

How does altitude impact the UKs climate?

Answer 62

The higher the altitude of an area, the cooler it will be 1 degree lost for every 100m higher above sea level. Also, as the air is forced to rise over the high land it is cooled, chasing more of the moisture in the air to condense and fall as precipitation on the hill tops

Question 63

What are tropical cyclones?

Answer 63

Tropical cyclones are large, rotating storms that form jet oceans in tropical areas. Depending on where in the world they from, they are known a hurricanes, cyclones or typhoons. They can be devastating if they move over land.

Question 64

How are tropical cyclones easily identifiable?

Answer 64

Because of their distinctive features. The most well know of these features is the eye, located at the centre of the storm. Surrounding the eye is the eye wall; high density cloud covers the remaining area of a storm

Question 65

How does global atmospheric circulation impact the formation of tropical cyclones?

Answer 65

As air moves around the planet it moves away from the equator and begins to rotate because of the need to disperse the high levels of heat at the equator across the planets surface.this movement as a result of the Coriolis effect, combined with the evaporation caused by high temperatures, leads to the formation of tropical storms

Question 66

How are tropical cyclones formed?

Answer 66

Tropical cyclones form in tropical areas, high temperatures cause air to rise away from the ocean surface. The rising air causes thunderstorms, which are inky local in their effects. However, sometimes these storms ground together, creating a strong flow of warm, rapidly rising air, which in turn produces an area of extreme low pressure at the centre of these converging storms

Question 67

What conditions does there need to be before a storm can converge into a tropical cyclone?

Answer 67

A source of moist, warm air, normally warmer than 27 degrees (which is why they always from in the tropics)
The time of year (season) when the ocean water is warmest
Winds converging at the oceans surface, causing the air to rise
Formation some distance from the equator so the Coriolis effect will cause the storm to rotate

Question 68

What happens as a storm rotates?

Answer 68

As the storm rotates, the winds accelerate inwards and upwards, making the depression stronger and forming a tropical cyclone. They eye of a cyclone is dry and calm, because it is the only p,ace for kilo meters around where the air is sinking

Question 69

What is the movement of tropical cyclones?

Answer 69

Tropical cyclones do not retain where they are formed. Cyclones follow the direction of the local prevailing winds and ocean currents. The track of the tropical cyclone affects how strong it becomes. The further it travels over the ocean, the more heat and moisture it collects, so increasing its strength. When the cyclone reaches dry land, it is cut off from its energy source. It can no longer extract heat from the ocean, loses its strength and slows down.

Question 70

How can the formation of tropical cyclones be forecast?

Answer 70

Certain areas of the planet are more likely to produce the favourable conditions that trigger them. Once formed, dedicated centres, such as the national hurricane centre in Florida, USA, will use various methods to predict the track of the cyclone so that preparations can be made as potential landfall locations. The use of satellite imagery and statistical modelling is key to predicting the track of a tropical cyclone, along with other weather data, such as wind conditions

Question 71

Describe the frequency of a tropical cyclone

Answer 71

Because a tropical cyclone requires specific conditions for its formation, they are more likely to occur in some periods of the year than in others. Eg because of the temperatures required for formation, tropical cyclones are more likely to form between June and November in the northern tropics and between November and April in the southern tropics. These periods when tropical cyclone formation is more likely are referred to as seasons

Question 72

It is impossible to predict how many tropical storms will be formed in a season and how many will become cyclones.

Answer 72

In warmer years more cyclones are likely than in cooler years, but exact numbers will vary.

Question 73

What are the consequences of high winds in a tropical cyclone?

Answer 73

Tropical cyclones produce winds of over 119 Km per hour. These winds can cause severe damage to buildings. Trees can be uprooted (pulled out of the ground by the force of the wind) and some smaller constructions, such as sheds and beach huts, can be moved. These become dangerous as they can impact on people and buildings, causing damage, injury and loss of life.

Question 74

Describe intense rainfall in a tropical cyclone

Answer 74

As tropical cyclones move over the ocean they take up a large amount of water and this results in a large release of rain. Weather forecasters can estimate how much rain may fall based on how fast the storm has been travelling over the water. The intense rain created by the tropical cyclone can lead to flooding, damage to property and injury, as fast-flowing water can knock people over, even if it’s not very deep.

Question 75

Describe the impact of storm surges in a tropical cyclone

Answer 75

A tropical cyclone creates a large area of low pressure, which allows the level of the sea to rise. When this is combined with the high winds produced by the storm, a large mass of water can be forced towards land by the strength of the wind. When the surge hits land, it does so with severe force. Storm surges can erode beaches and coastal habitats, damage coastal defences and flow inland, contaminating farmland and freshwater areas such as lakes.

Question 76

Describe the impact of coastal flooding in a tropical cyclone

Answer 76

The combination of intense rain and storm surges puts coastal areas at severe risk of flooding. Not only does this put people and property at risk, but it can also affect the farming and tourism industries. The environmental impact of flooding by salt water will also be very damaging.

Question 77

What is a storm surge?

Answer 77

An increase in the height of the sea due to a storm

Question 78

Describe the impact of landslides in a tropical cyclone

Answer 78

Intense rainfall affects areas of high relief as well as coastal lowlands. High levels of rain can saturate the soil very quickly. This makes the soil very heavy and, in areas with steel slopes, can mean that the soil will no longer be able to hold its position and will start to slide down the slope. Deforestation can make slopes unstable, as can the geology, eg where the underlying rock above can easily slide over it and downhill. This can cause massive deforestation to any settlements at the base of the slope, and cause river flooding if the landslide blocks river channels

Question 79

In the northern hemisphere, the saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale is used to classify tropical cyclones, and these are specifically referred to as hurricanes. What is it based on?

Answer 79

It is based in the wind speed generated by the storm, but does not take into account rainfall or storm surges and so does not predict exactly what damage will occur when a hurricane reaches land. However you can use rainfall and storm surge data to estimate the category of a hurricane.

Question 80

What are the characteristics of a hurricane if it comes in at 1 on the saffir-Simpson scale?

Answer 80

It’s winds are between 119-153 km/h. The damage is minimal:unanchored mobile homes, vegetation and signs. Storms surges between 1.2-1.7m

Question 81

What are the characteristics of a hurricane if they come in at 2 on the saffir-Simpson scale?

Answer 81

The winds is between 154-177 km/h. There is moderate damage: all mobile homes, roofs, small crafts, flooding. Storm surges are between 1.8-2.6m

Question 82

What are the characteristics of a hurricane if it’s at 3 on the saffir-Simpson scale?

Answer 82

The winds are between 178-208 km/h. The damage is extensive: small buildings, low-lying roads cut off. Storms surges between 2.7-3.8m.

Question 83

What are the characteristics of a hurricane if it’s at 4 on the saffir-Simpson scale.

Answer 83

Winds are between 209-249 km/h. The damage is extreme: roofs destroyed, trees down, roads cut off, mobile homes destroyed. Beach homes flooded. The storm surges are between 3.9-5.4m.

Question 84

What are the characteristics of a hurricane if it’s at5 on the saffir-Simpson scale?

Answer 84

It’s winds are more than 250 km/h. The damage is catastrophic: many buildings destroyed, vegetation destroyed, major roads cut off, homes flooded. Storms surges are over 5.4m.

Question 85

Describe the hurricane sandy

Answer 85

On 24th October 2012, a storm that had formed earlier in the month was official revere there’s as a hurricane (category 1) on the saffir-Simpson scale. This hurricane, officially named as hurricane sandy, swept through the Caribbean Sea, making landfall on the island nations of Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas before moving north and eventually reaching the USA.

Question 86

Describe hurricane sandy when it fell on New Jersey

Answer 86

Hurricane sandy made landfall in the state of New Jersey in the USA on 29th October. It’s wind strength had varied during its journey across the Caribbean and North Atlantic, but when it made landfall wind speeds of 129km/h were recorded. Much if the damage, however, was not caused by the wind speed but by the storm surge that was produced by the hurricane.

Question 87

Describe the consequences of hurricane sandy on New Jersey

Answer 87

Although the storm had been forecast and preparations had been made in states from Florida yo to New Jersey, the damage and death toll were still high. Flood water from the intense rain and storm surge rapidly moved inland across various states. In New York City, several subway stations and road tunnels were flooded and were unusable, power lines were damaged, tall buildings swayed with the force of the wind and a tanker ship ran aground near Staten Island. Many other states across the eastern USA suffered power outages, disruption to transport and property damage.

Question 88

What were the social impacts of hurricane sandy?

Answer 88

More than 150 people were killed by the hurricane, making it the most deadly in the USA since hurricane katrina. Millions of people were left without electricity for days. Transport links, including roads, railways and airports, were closed or faced severe disruption. Schools were closed for many days and homes and businesses were damaged from either flooding or high winds.

Question 89

What was the economic impacts if hurricane sandy?

Answer 89

Total property damage was estimated US$65 billion across al, the affected states. Additionally, the New York stock exchange was forced to close for several days because of a loss of power. Petrol was in short supply and had to be brought into the affected states at a cost to the government. The New York marathon, scheduled for 4 November, was cancelled, affecting tourist income.

Question 90

What was the environmental impacts of hurricane sandy?

Answer 90

Several coastal nature reserves, such as Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in the state of Delaware, were damaged by the storm surge. The flooding also led to the release of millions of gallons of raw and untreated sewage into the waters around New York and New Jersey.

Question 91

What did the media do in response to hurricane sandy?

Answer 91

The media l,sued a large part in raising funds for victims, charity concerts were organised and broadcast on tv and online, along with telethons and corporate donations to raise millions of dollars for the relief effort.

Question 92

What did charities such as the American Red Cross do in response to hurricane sandy?

Answer 92

They were involved in providing relief to people in the affected areas, funded through some of the media events.

Question 93

What did the US government do is response to hurricane sandy?

Answer 93

The US government voted in legislation to provide billions of dollars to the affected states to help with rebuilding and supporting victims. The state of New York set up a new local government office to co-ordinate rebuilding efforts to make sure that all areas would be helped. Some of this money was paid directly to Homeowners to help with reconstruction, the rest went to businesses, infrastructure and other community support schemes.

Question 94

What did the public do in response to hurricane sandy?

Answer 94

Both during and spatter the storm, people posted images and descriptions of the impacts of hurricane sandy on social media sites. People across the world could see and asses the impact of the storm in real to,e as information was uploaded to the Internet. This allowed both the general public and local government bodies to begin to asses the damage being caused, even before the storm had passed.

Question 95

What did government agencies do in response to hurricane sandy?

Answer 95

Government agencies were able to use satellite images. By comparing older satellite photographs with those taken soon after the storm, the changes that had occurred to the area as a result of the hurricane could be observed and a plan for how to respond based on the specific needs of an area could be formulated

Question 96

The impact of hurricane sandy on different areas was also analysed by the use of socio-economic data. By assessing the impact on sectors such as health care, education and public services, the areas suffering most deprivation as a result of damage to each of these sectors could be identified. What could local governments then do?

Answer 96

Local government could then respond to the worst-affected areas quickly to restore these services as soon as possible. This approach can be applied to both developed and developing countries.

Question 97

Describe typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines 2013

Answer 97

Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, was the equivalent of a category 5 on the saffir-Simpson scale, and so one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record. Typhoon Haiyan formed on 2nd November 2013 in the South Pacific Ocean, close to the federated states of Micronesia. Wind speeds continued to increase over the following days, and the typhoon was equivalent to a category 5 hurricane by day 6. With winds reaching gusts of over 306 km/h, the typhoon made landfall in the Philippians on 7th November.

Question 98

What were the consequences of typhoon Haiyan?

Answer 98

The force of the high winds destroyed or damaged nearly every building in the area of Guiuan, which was the first location to be hit. Flooding from the storm surge caused huge damage to coastal areas. Most of the damage was on the islands of Samar and Leyte. There were reports of widespread flooding and landslides across the county. The city of Tacloban, on the island of Leyte, was severely damaged, with widespread destruction of buildings, trees uprooted, and roads and communications blocked for many days.

Question 99

What were the social impacts of Typoon Haiyan?

Answer 99

More than 6000 people were confirmed dead, with many others missing. Power to the affected islands was cut off and many areas were isolated by debris or landslides, preventing aid from reaching them swiftly. Tens of thousands of people were made homeless. There were also reports of a loss of law and order as people panicked because of the lack of communication and support, but this was restored quickly once aid began to arrive.

Question 100

What were the economic impacts of Typoon Haiyan?

Answer 100

The cost of the damage was estimated to be approximately US$2 billion. Transport across the islands was disrupted, making the provision of aid and support difficult. Foreign air agencies were able to provide support for the effort.m

Question 101

What were the environmental impacts of Typhoon Haiyan?

Answer 101

Across the islands, coastal areas of mangroves were damaged and thousands of trees were uprooted. Several areas were evacuated because of chemical leaks from damaged industrial facilities. A tanker also ran aground, which caused oil spill.

Question 102

In response to Typhoon Haiyan, seven provinces in the Philippians were placed under a ‘state of national calamity’ what did this allow the government to do?

Answer 102

This allowed the government to redirect funds to help address the problems created by the typhoon

Question 103

Why was the relief effort slowed down in the Typhoon Haiyan?

Answer 103

Because of the damage to local infrastructure. With roads blocked and some local airports severely damaged, some areas remained isolated for days.

Question 104

In the Typhoon Hayian, what did the infrastructure failure and contamination from sea water mean?

Answer 104

It meant that many people were without safe drinking water for a long time.

Question 105

Because of Typhoon Haiyan, it was decided to try and evacuate as many people from the affected areas as possible, especially Tacloban. What was the problem with this?

Answer 105

Because there was no electricity in the area, the evacuations could only happen during daylight hours, which further slowed the rescue effort. This caused people to panic and rush at the evacuation planes. They had to be held back by police and military personnel. The focus of relief efforts on Tacloban city resulted in people in other affected areas feeling abandoned, because aid was reaching them even more slowly despite the fact they were also suffering huge devastation.

Question 106

Describe drought

Answer 106

Drought is a hazard that can affect any area, regardless of its level of development. While the cause and the impact may vary from place to place, areas that are susceptible to drought share some similar characteristics.

Question 107

What does arid mean?

Answer 107

A region with little or no precipitation

Question 108

What do arid environment not suffer from drought?

Answer 108

Arid environments do not suffer from drought, as aridity (low precipitation) is already normal for the area. This is because they are located in regions which normally have high pressure. This is where dry air (with little or no moisture in it) defends towards the ground, such as we her Hadley and Ferrel cella meet. As the air is dry, clouds are unlikely to form and so the area will have low levels of precipitation through the year.

Question 109

What is a key factor that can affect whether an area is likely to suffer from drought?

Answer 109

How it receives its precipitation. Countries such as the uk have rainfall throughout the year and do not rely on a particular ‘rainy season’. Other parts of the world receive the majority of their annual precipitation during particular months, eg in the Sahel in central Africa and the ‘monsoon’ season in India. This makes these areas very vulnerable to drought. Drought results if changes in global circulation mean the rain are delayed or weaker than normal, they do not produce as much precipitation or may even fail compleatly.

Question 110

Concerning drought, why is when the precipitation occurs a key issue?

Answer 110

If the ‘rainy season’ is during winter months, when there are lower temperatures and less intense sunlight, then water is absorbed by the soil with relative ease. The water is absorbed by the soil with relative ease. The water is stored underground and will be available during the drier months. However, if the majority of precipitation falls during the summer months, then water is not as easily absorbed by the soil. This is because the precipitation falls on soil that is likely to have baked hard by intense sunlight and therefore it is more difficult for the rain to soak in. There will also be higher rates of evaporation because of the higher temperatures and so water is more likely to evaporate away before it can soak in, reducing water supplies.

Question 111

Describe how drought varies in severity

Answer 111

The UK is less susceptible to drought but can have drought conditions. Eg in 1995 drought conditions led to hose pipe bans and to reservoirs such as Haweswater in the Lake District drying up. These impacts are in stark contrast to those caused by drought conditions in areas such as the Sahel, where drought causes life-threatening conditions for many people.

Question 112

What is meteorological drought?

Answer 112

Meteorological drought refers simply to the level of dryness in an area, that is, when an area receives less precipitation than normal. This is the most significant cause of drought across the planet.

Question 113

An area can be classed as being in drought despite receiving more precipitation than an area not in drought. How is this possible.

Answer 113

It depends on how much precipitation is normal. This means that an arid area such as the great Australian desert would not be classed as being in drought because it’s normal climatic conditions is that it receives a very low level of precipitation. However an area such as the Sahel, which has long periods of low precipitation and a rainy season that provides the majority of the annual rainfall, is much more vulnerable to drought as slight changes to circulation patterns can cause a rain season to fail or be delayed. This will mean that the area is at risk of drought as a result of only small meteorological variations.

Question 114

Describe how atmospheric and oceanic control lots of the climatic patterns (so then impacts drought)

Answer 114

As our planets gets warmer, the temperatures of the ocean and atmosphere change and this affects where heat is redistributed to. Climate change is already having an impact on these processes, and in some parts of the world is leading to more frequent or more severe droughts.

Question 115

How do jet streams have a limited impact on drought?

Answer 115

Jet streams can have a limited impact as they can cause weather systems, such as low pressure systems bringing rain, to be diverted from their usual path. This affects areas that rely on a rainy season. As the path of a jet stream is not constant, this can happen any time.

Question 116

What is hydrological drought?

Answer 116

Hydrological drought refers specifically to the impact of low precipitation on a hydrological system (eg a river basin). While this will have the same cause as a meteorological drought, it is possible that the effects of the drought may not be obvious. Although the surface effects of drought may be noticeable straight away as the impact of ground water and reservoir levels may take more time to become obvious. A farmers may notice a loss of soil moisture quite quickly, but a water company may not feel the effect on its water supply from a reservoir for several months

Question 117

As less water enters soil beaches of the lack of precipitation (meteorological drought) surface water, such as that in rivers, becomes difficult to access as levels drop. What will this then lead to?

Answer 117

This will lead to an over-reliance on groundwater and reservoirs

Question 118

How can dams impact drought? (Human impact)

Answer 118

Dams are built on rivers to act as flood defences, to create reservoirs as stores of water for industrial, agricultural and recreational use, and also to provide electricity through hydroelectric power. However, restricting the flow of water in the river can lead to a drop in water levels further downstream. This can leave an area in drought as it no longer receives the same water as before the construction of the dam.

Question 119

How can deforestation impact drought on a global scale? (Human factor)

Answer 119

Deforestation can also contribute to drought, and on different scales. On a global scale, removing trees results in less carbon dioxide being absorbed from the atmosphere, which in turn will lead to an increase in the greenhouse affect. This will cause global warming and climate change, which will result in changes to atmospheric and oceanic circulation.

Question 120

How can deforestation impact drought on a regional scale? (Human factor)

Answer 120

Large tropical rainforests like the Amazon create their own weather systems. As well as evaporation from the ground, trees absorb rainwater through the soil and release water vapour back into the atmosphere through transpiration. As their water vapour cools, the water vapour condenses and falls daily as rain. The rising air creates low pressure, which in turn pulls moist air in from surrounding areas. Deforestation for timber, fuel and to create farmland is a serious threat to tropical rainforests. Without trees to intercept rainfall and return it to the atmosphere, the local water cycle is disrupted, the drop in pressure is reduced and there is less rainfall, sometimes leading to drought.

Question 121

How does agriculture impact drought? (Human factor)

Answer 121

Agriculture can suffer because of drought, resulting in low yields, crop failures and loss of livestock. However, it can also contribute to drought when water is taken from wetter areas to irrigate agriculture in others, or pumped from rivers and groundwater. This may leave water supplies even lower and worsen the effects of drought.

Question 122

What are the social impacts of drought?

Answer 122

Ill health amount the population caused by low supply or poor quality supply of water.
Depression and anxiety over economic impacts.
Safety risk as fires and dust storms are more likely.
Migration as people move away from affected areas, but doing so without adequate supplies for the journey.

Question 123

What are the economic impacts of drought?

Answer 123

Industries, such as farming and forestry, unable to support jobs, leading to mass unemployment.
Water companies have to spend large amounts of money on new supplies and pipe systems, leading to higher bills for customers.
Food prices increase as farm production decreases, putting the poorest at risk of malnutrition.
Related industries (eg fishing) see a drop in income, possibly leading to job losses.

Question 124

What are the environmental impacts of drought?

Answer 124

Wild animals suffer from a water loss.
Habitats, particularly river habitats, become damaged or lost.
Soil becomes dry and cracked so no longer supports plants.
Endangered species could become extinct.
Wildlife may migrate away from the area.

Question 125

Describe where the California drought was in 2012

Answer 125

California is one of the wealthiest states in the USA and is famous for its major cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. It’s location on the west coast of the continent, bordering the Pacific Ocean, has made it a popular destination for foreign and domestic tourists. With several large universities and industrial areas such as Silicon Valley, it’s also a popular destination for study and work. However California suffers from frequent severe droughts. In January 2014, a state of emergency was declared by the state governor in response to a drought that had been affecting the sate for the previous few years. This meant that new laws and regulations could be put in place to help deal with the impact of the drought.

Question 126

What was the cause of the California drought?

Answer 126

A period of lower than normal rainfall and snowfall across the western side of the USA caused a distinct drop in water supplies for California. But this was made worse by the fact that most of California’s water comes from the Colorado river, which also provides water for 6 other states. Also states had been allowed to extract more water from the river that it receives, leading to a reduction in availability. Combined with a very high level of wastage and over-use, water was becoming a very scare commodity.

Question 127

Describe how subsidence was a key effect of the California drought

Answer 127

As surface water flows decrease, water is increasingly extracted from ground water and aquifers to maintain supplies. This changes the structure of the land and can cause it to settle to a lower level. This can cause infrastructure and building damage in affected areas such as the San Joaquin Valley.

Question 128

Describe some coastal areas (such as Santa Barba) are suffering from seawater intrusion as an impact of the California drought

Answer 128

Some coastal areas, such as the Santa Barbara, are suffer ending from seawater intrusion. This occurs when the natural groundwater flow, which is towards the sea, is reversed because of a lack of flow pressure. This means that groundwater supplies become contaminated with seawater, making them unusable or costly to use for domestic or agricultural purposes. So that water can be diverted for domestic of agricultural use, wetlands and rivers receive less water. Therefore, these environments suffer from the lack of water faster than other areas because the amount f water they receive is being reduced artificially as well as naturally. This will have an adverse effect on the birds and fish that rely on these environments to survive.

Question 129

What had the California drought been accompanied and possibly caused by?

Answer 129

A period of very warm, windy weather across the state. This has also lead to the problem of wildfires. Warm windy weather dries out vegetation and makes it very easy for a fire to start, either naturally through a lightening strike for example, or by human activity, either deliberate or accidental. These fires spread very quickly because the vegetation is dry and the winds fan the flames and push them into new areas. Not only do fires themselves cause environmental damage and property at risk, ash and debris from the fires also gets into water supplies contaminating them. It can also block streams and rivers causing mudslides and flooding.

Question 130

Describe how California’s drought has had a significant impact on one of the worlds most productive farming regions

Answer 130

California is a major supplier of fruit, vegetables and fairy products to the USA. In a dry climate this is made possible by a huge network of irrigation pipelines and canals. Some farmers have adapted by taking land out of production or pumping groundwater from ever-deeper supplies. Other conserve irrigation water and focus on higher value crops. In 2015, California farms lost an estimated US$1.8 bn and 10,000 jobs because of the drought, with some increases in food prices. In addition, some farms are affected by saltwater contamination and wildfires.

Question 131

How was California’s power supplies affected by the drought?

Answer 131

Lower water levels reduce the output of its hydro-electric power stations. In addition, it thermal power stations require large amounts of cooling water. With a growing demand for energy, the state is looking for new sources, including renewable energy.

Question 132

(California drought) since the state of emergency was declared, various state and national government departments, including the department of water resources, US Bureau of Reclamation and the state Water Resources Control Board, have introduced new measure to try and deal with the drought. What were these new measures?

Answer 132

Limiting flows during winter months to try and build up reserves for later in the year when demand is higher.
Warning some areas that they will be given limits on how much water they will receive because river levels are too low.
Reduce water supplies down to minimum for public health and safety.
Installing salinity control points in crucial areas to prevent seawater intrusion.
Running education and information programmes to encourage people to use as little water as possible.
Increased monitoring of some rivers to check on levels of endangered species and the effects of drought on them.

Question 133

Describe Ethiopia (because of the drought in Ethiopia)

Answer 133

Ethiopia is a developing country in Eastern Africa. Since the 1980s, Ethiopia has suffered from multiple droughts across various areas of the country. This has led to famine and huge loss of life. The cycle of drought and famine is still continuing. The worst periods have been during 1984, 1994, 2004 and 2014-2016.

Question 134

What were the causes for the Ethiopia drought?

Answer 134

Ethiopia relies on two periods of rain throughout the year, one longer than the other. Since the 1980s, the short rain season has been getting shorter and more delayed. The long rain season has become equally unpredictable. A likely cause is the warming of the Indian Ocean, where rising air loses more moisture as rainfall. Dryer air moves westward and descends over east Africa, causing drought.

Question 135

How does the Ethiopia drought impact farmers?

Answer 135

For farmers, more unreliable rains make planning very difficult. It is harder for them to know when to plant, and some types of crop they have used for generations no longer do well. For livestock farmers, when land becomes too dry to support vegetation, there is less food and water for their animals. People in rural areas also rely on local plants and trees for building materials, eg timber for their houses and grass for thatched roofs. Drought reduces their availability or increases their cost.

Question 136

How does the effect of the Ethiopia drought on agriculture impact people?

Answer 136

As agriculture becomes more difficult across the country, reduced food supplies lead to increases in prices, particularly affecting the poorest and marginal people. This can lead to hunger and malnutrition and in the past has caused famine.

Question 137

How does drought affect the water supplies? (Ethiopia drought)

Answer 137

Only 57% if Ethiopians have access to an improved water source - others rely on a natural source such as a spring, river or lake. When these dry up people have to walk many km to find water. This affects older people who can’t make the journey, women and children who do make the journey. This prevents women working and keeps children out of school. Some people have no choice but to drink unsafe polluted water, with a risk of getting typhoid, dysentery, cholera, diphtheria etc. These can be fatal without medical care.

Question 138

What are the impacts the drought have Ethiopia?

Answer 138

Drought has an impact on education, health and development in the country side. It’s an important cause of migration from rural areas to cities.

Question 139

what is live aid?

Answer 139

In the 1980s a large charity event called live aid was organised to make people aware of the crisis caused by the drought and to try and raise money for the people affected.

Question 140

What do NGOs do for the Ethiopian drought?

Answer 140

NGOs from around the world like UNICEF and off am often work with Ethiopian experts in remote areas of the country to support those worst affected by the drought. As the cycle of droughts has continued, NGOs have been working to provide clean water, food and medical care for people affected. Longer term they help people become more resilient to drought in the future.