True or False?
The atmosphere operates as a global temperature-balancing system.
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True or False?
The atmosphere operates as a global temperature-balancing system.
True.
The atmosphere does operate as a global temperature-balancing system.
Define the term insolation.
Insolation is defined as incoming solar radiation.
True or False?
Hot air sinks and cooler air rises?
False.
Hot air rises and cooler air sinks.
Name the three major atmospheric wind cells.
The three major atmospheric wind cells are:
The Hadley cell
The Ferrel cell
The Polar cell
True or False?
The Hadley cell is the smallest of the atmospheric wind cells.
False.
The Hadley cell is the largest and sits on either side of the equator.
What is the Coriolis effect?
The Coriolis effect is the appearance that global winds and ocean currents curve as they move.
Name the three major surface wind belts produced in each hemisphere and their direction of travel.
The three major surface wind belts produced in each hemisphere are:
Trade winds. These blow from the subtropical high-pressure belts (30 degrees N and S) towards the Equator's low-pressure zones
Westerlies. These blow from the sub-tropical high-pressure belts to the mid-latitude low areas.
Easterlies. Polar easterlies meet the westerlies at 60 degrees North and South.
Define the term prevailing winds.
Prevailing winds refer to the direction that the wind blows from. The UK has a south-westerly prevailing wind, as this is the direction it most frequently comes from.
True or False?
Global atmospheric circulation affects the Earth's climate.
True.
The global atmospheric circulation affects the Earth's climate. It causes some areas to have certain types of weather more frequently than other areas.
What two types of weather does the Hadley cell form?
The Hadley cell forms tropical rainstorms at the equator and dry, cloudless air in the subtropical regions.
Define tropical storms.
Tropical storms are rotating, intense low-pressure systems.
What conditions are necessary for tropical storms to form?
The conditions necessary for tropical storms to form are:
Warm tropical waters of 27°C and above.
Between 5° and 30° north and south of the equator.
Winds converging (meeting) at the ocean surface
Low wind shear
True or False?
The eye of the storm is calm and dry.
True.
The eye of the storm is at the centre with cold descending air, which creates a calm, dry area.
What are the characteristics of tropical storms?
The characteristics of a tropical storm include the following:
Lasting 7–14 days.
Heavy rainfall.
High wind speeds (over 119 kmph).
High waves and storm surges.
Winds spiral rapidly around the eye.
Diameter of 100 km+
True or False?
The strongest and most destructive winds are found in the eye.
False.
The strongest and most destructive winds are found within the eyewall. It has spiralling storm clouds, torrential rainfall and low temperatures.
How are tropical storms rated?
Tropical storms are rated on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale based on wind speeds.
What category indicates that a tropical storm is considered major?
Tropical storms are considered major when they reach category 3 and have wind speeds between 111 and 129 miles (178 and 208 kilometres) per hour
What impact is climate change going to have on tropical storms?
The effects of climate change on tropical storms are:
Increasing temperatures increase the number of places across the world that will experience tropical storms.
Oceans will stay at 27 °C or higher for longer during the year, which will increase the annual number of tropical storms.
Higher temperatures will mean storms will be stronger, more frequent and cause more damage.
What happens to a tropical storm when it reaches land?
Tropical storms lose heat energy and moisture when they make land and die out.
Tropical storms have different names depending on where they are.
What are they called, and where are they?
Tropical storms are called:
Typhoons in the South China Sea and west Pacific Ocean
Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and west coast of Mexico
Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and northern Australia
Define the term primary effects.
The primary effects are the immediate impacts of a hazardous event.
Define the term secondary effects.
Secondary effects are the impacts that occur later on after a hazardous event has passed.
Name three primary impacts of a tropical storm.
The primary impacts of tropical storms are:
Buildings are destroyed and/or damaged
Infrastructure (roads, railways, ports, etc.) are damaged and/or destroyed
Electricity and gas lines are damaged/destroyed
Sewage overflows
Rivers and coastal areas are flooded
State three secondary effects of tropical storms.
Some of the secondary effects of tropical storms include:
Homelessness.
Life-support systems are left without power supplies.
Blocked roads prevent rescue teams and aid from reaching areas in need.
There is a risk of fires and explosions from broken gas lines.
Contaminated water supplies increase the risk of water-borne diseases and death.
Shortage of food from damaged crops, livestock and habitats.
People drowning from storm surges and flying debris.
Economic impact on businesses and the government in terms of the cost of rebuilding.
Why is the impact of a tropical storm greater the more settlements and businesses there are?
The more people and properties that can be affected by a tropical storm, the higher its impacts are in areas with more settlements and businesses.
Define the term immediate response.
Immediate response means action is taken when :
A hazardous event is predicted to hit an area.
The hazardous event is actually happening.
Immediately after the hazardous event has passed.
Define the term long-term response.
Long-term responses are:
Restoring an area to past conditions after a hazardous event.
Reducing the impact of future hazardous events.
When and where did Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) occur?
Typhoon Haiyan (locally called Yolanda) made landfall on the 8th of November 2013 in the Philippines.
What category was super typhoon Haiyan?
Haiyan/Yolanda was classified as a category 5, with sustained winds of over 195 mph (315 km/hr).
What were the major short-term social impacts of super typhoon Haiyan?
The major short-term social impacts of super typhoon Haiyan were:
6201 people died.
1.1 million homes were lost.
There were more than 4 million people displaced.
Casualties: 28,626 from lack of aid.
16 million people were affected.
UN admitted its response was too slow, amid reports of hunger and thirst among survivor
What can governments do to improve buildings against tropical storms?
Things that governments can do to improve buildings against tropical storms are:
Improve building regulations so that buildings can withstand the impacts of tropical storms.
Change the planning rules to restrict homes being built in risky areas.
What are the three types of vulnerability that contribute to monitoring, prediction and planning?
The three types of vulnerability that contribute to the different methods of monitoring, prediction and planning are:
Physical
Economic
Social
State three physical vulnerabilities of tropical storms.
The three physical vulnerabilities of tropical storms are:
Steep slopes increase the risk of landslides.
Areas where tropical storms form are hit more frequently as they are in the path of the storm.
Low-lying coastlines are vulnerable to storm surges, flooding and high winds.
Why are the costs of repairs for developed countries higher than for developing countries?
The cost of repairs for developed countries will be higher as the infrastructure and buildings are more complex and the damage more intense.
True or False?
Health and well-being are impacted regardless of wealth.
True.
Although poorer countries will struggle to treat injuries and provide support, wealth does not prevent health and well-being from being impacted.
How are tropical storms monitored?
Tropical storms are monitored using:
Weather charts
Computer software and modelling
Radar
Satellites
Why are LICs less able to monitor tropical storms?
LICs are less able to monitor tropical storms because the equipment is very expensive. Also, the ability to communicate any information may be limited.
How can governments contribute to planning for tropical storms?
Governments can contribute to planning for tropical storms by:
Preparing evacuation routes to get people away from storms quickly and safely.
Training and educating about the impacts of tropical storms, along with information leaflets on what to do in the event to reduce injuries.
Organising disaster training for emergency services at regular intervals.
Investing in public early warning systems.
How can people protect themselves and their property against a tropical storm?
People can protect themselves and their buildings against tropical storms by:
Boarding up windows and reinforcing doors to reduce flying debris.
Stock up on food and water, as they may not be able to leave their home for several days following a storm.
Practice emergency drills and know their evacuation routes.
How can buildings be designed to withstand tropical storms?
Buildings can be designed to withstand tropical storms by:
Building on stilts to avoid flood waters.
Building with reinforced concrete.
Fixed roofs rather than tiles.
Have windows covered either with metal shutters or wooden planks to reduce flying debris.
What type of climate does the UK have?
The climate of the UK is:
Mild
Seasonal: cool, wet winters and warm, wet summers.
What three things affect the UK weather?
The three things that affect the UK weather are:
Continentality, where coastal areas are warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
North Atlantic Drift, where ocean currents from the warm Caribbean waters keep the west coast of the UK warmer than other regions of the UK.
Air masses bring different weather to the UK, such as the polar maritime air mass that brings cold and wet weather or the tropical continental air mass that brings warm and dry weather.
What type of extreme weather do depressions and anticyclones bring to the UK?
Depressions:
Bring very wet and windy weather with unstable, low-pressure weather.
Anticyclones:
Bring very cold or very hot, stable, high-pressure, dry weather.
What does extreme weather mean?
Extreme weather means any weather that is unexpected, unusual, severe, unseasonal, or significantly different from the normal pattern of a particular area.
How is the UK weather changing?
The UK's weather is becoming more extreme with higher amounts of rainfall and increased temperatures.
What caused the 2018 Beast from the East weather event in the UK?
In January 2018, the stratosphere suddenly warmed, and the air temperature rose to around 50 °C above the Earth at the North Pole.
This sudden warming weakened the jet stream and allowed cold air from western Russia to 'flood' over Europe .
Name three social impacts of the Beast from the East in 2018.
Social impacts included:
Schools closed for up to 3 days across the country.
10 people were killed across the country.
Hundreds of people were trapped in their cars on the roads and motorways.
Gas supplies were running low, and the UK government issued a gas deficit warning.
Thousands of people were without power.
The NHS was forced to cancel non-urgent operations.
Name three economic impacts of the Beast from the East in 2018.
The economic impacts of the Beast from the East in 2018 were:
The cost to the UK economy was at least £1bn a day because shops, leisure facilities, theatres, cinemas and restaurants were closed.
Trains were stranded on tracks overnight, causing delays for many businesses.
Road closures meant workers and materials couldn't get through, forcing some businesses to close while still accumulating costs.
Name three environmental impacts of the Beast from the East in 2018.
The environmental impacts of the Beast from the East in 2018 were:
Farmers lost crops and livestock during the freezing conditions.
15-20 cm of snow fell over 3 days.
Snow drifts of up to 7 m in some rural areas of the UK.
Temperatures dropped to -10°C with a wind chill of -22°C in some places.
Wind speeds exceeded 70 mph.
What management strategies were implemented during the Beast from the East event in 2018?
Management strategies included:
The Met Office issued a red warning to stop people from travelling.
The government asked businesses to reduce their gas usage so the country didn’t run out, allowing people to have their heating on for longer.
Community centres were opened for the homeless to avoid further deaths from exposure to the extreme temperatures.
Armed forces were deployed to rescue drivers and drive NHS workers to work to help the sick and vulnerable.
Taxi firms provided help to the elderly by bringing shopping and medicines to those in need.
The Red Cross issued blankets to people stranded at Glasgow Airport.