Weather Hazards (AQA GCSE Geography)

Exam Questions

2 hours27 questions
1a1 mark

Study Figure 3, a diagram showing the global pattern of air pressure and surface winds.

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Using Figure 3, which one of the following statements is true?

Shade one circle only.

  • Air sinks at the Equator.

  • The southeast trade winds blow from the Equator to 30° N and S.

  • High pressure occurs when the air is sinking.

  • Polar easterlies blow from 60° N and S towards the poles.

1b2 marks

Using Figure 3, describe the link between air pressure and surface winds.

1c2 marks

Suggest why areas close to the Equator usually have high rainfall.

Use Figure 3 and your own understanding.

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21 mark

State what is meant by extreme weather.

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3a3 marks

Study Figure 3, a map showing the distribution and frequency of tropical storms.

fig-3-june-2019-paper1-qp-gcse-aqa-geo

Using Figure 3, complete the following paragraph.


Most tropical storms happen between latitudes 5 degrees and 30 degrees north and south of the ______. 

On average, three or more tropical storms per year take place in the East Pacific and ______.

In the Caribbean, the main months for tropical storms are between ______.

3b2 marks

Give two reasons why tropical storms form in the areas shown in Figure 3.

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4a1 mark

Which one of the following statements about tropical storms is true?

Shade one circle only

  • Tropical storms gain energy as they reach land.

  • Tropical storms develop along the Equator.

  • Tropical storms occur in areas of high pressure.

  • Tropical storms form above oceans where temperatures are over 27oC.

4b1 mark

Study Figure 4, a map showing the track of Hurricane Irma in September 2017.

BH3qxhpZ_fig-4-june-2018-paper1-qp-gcse-aqa-geo

Using Figure 4, what happened to the wind speed of Hurricane Irma between 8 and 12 September 2017?

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51 mark

Give one reason why tropical storms have a seasonal pattern.

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61 mark

Give one reason why the wind speed of a tropical storm (hurricane) may change as it reaches land.

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71 mark

Which one of the following statements does not describe an extreme weather event in the UK?

  • A snow blizzard in the Midlands.

  • A heatwave in the Lake District.

  • A tornado in the Isle of Wight.

  • A wet winter in western Scotland.

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81 mark

Study Figure 1, a map showing a weather forecast for the UK on 1 March 2018.

Figure 1

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Using Figure 1, which one of the following statements is true? Shade one circle only.

  • The London area has an amber snow warning.

  • The whole of the UK has a snow warning.

  • Cardiff has a red snow warning.

  • Edinburgh is not forecast to have snow.

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92 marks

Study Figure 4, a table listing some of the most severe tropical storms over the past 50 years.

Figure 4

Tropical storm

Number of
deaths

Max wind speed
(km per hour)

1970 Bhola cyclone, Bangladesh

350 000

205

1975 Typhoon Nina, China

230 000

250

2008 Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar

138 000

215

1998 Hurricane Mitch, Caribbean

19 300

295

2013 Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines

7 300

310

1980 Hurricane Allen, Caribbean, Mexico and USA

260

305

2017 Hurricane Irma, Caribbean and USA

134

298

‘As maximum wind speeds increase, so does the number of deaths linked to tropical storms.’
Do you agree?
Use evidence from Figure 4 to support your answer.

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101 mark

Suggest one way the distribution of tropical storms could change if global ocean temperatures continue to rise.

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112 marks

Study Figure 1, a graph showing the number of tropical storms (typhoons) that reached Japan in each month from 1851 to 2018.

Bar graph titled "Figure 1" showing the number of typhoons per month. Peaks occur in August and September, minor activity in June, July, and October.

The total number of typhoons reaching Japan was 204.

What percentage of the total number of typhoons occurred in August?

Give your answer to the nearest whole percentage.

Show your working

-----------------%

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122 marks

Study Figure 2, a satellite image showing Cyclone Idai approaching Mozambique, Africa in March 2019.

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Describe the structure of Cyclone Idai shown in Figure 2.

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13a1 mark

Study Figure 1, a map showing the track of Hurricane Dorian in August and September 2019.

Figure 1

figure-1-june-2022-paper-1-aqa-gcse-geography

Using Figure 1, which one of the following statements is true?

Shade one circle only.

  • Hurricane Dorian started south of the Equator.

  • Hurricane Dorian passed to the west of Cuba.

  • Hurricane Dorian passed close to the east coast of the USA.

  • Hurricane Dorian reached 40° north.

13b2 marks

Using Figure 1, measure the distance travelled by Hurricane Dorian at hurricane force.

_________________________ km

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142 marks

Study Figure 2, a satellite image showing Hurricane Dorian over The Bahamas on 1 September 2019.

Figure 2

figure-2-june-2022-paper-1-aqa-gcse-geography

Using Figure 2, identify two features of Hurricane Dorian

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15a2 marks

Study Figure 3, a divided bar graph showing the total number of Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes between 2014–2019.

Figure 3

figure-3-june-2022-paper-1-aqa-gcse-geography

Use the data from the following table to complete Figure 3.

Year

Number of tropical storms 
and hurricanes scale 1–2

Number of hurricanes 
scale 3 and above

2018

13

2

15b1 mark

Suggest one reason for the increase in the total number of tropical storms and hurricanes shown in Figure 3.

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162 marks

Outline one way that planning can reduce the impact of tropical storms.

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173 marks

Study Figure 3, a diagram showing the global atmospheric circulation.

Diagram depicting wind patterns and pressure zones from North Pole to South Pole, including polar winds, westerlies, trade winds, and areas of high and low pressure.

Using Figure 3, complete the following paragraph.

Air from the Equator rises and moves towards the poles, then cools down and sinks at approximately ______________ north and south of the Equator.

The sinking air creates an area of ____________ pressure with very little rainfall. Some of the air moves back to the Equator as surface winds called _____________________________ .

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18a1 mark
Map showing tropical storm regions (hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones) and a table listing deadly storms (1970-2013) by year, affected areas, names, and death tolls.

Using Figure 4, which statement describes where tropical storms form?

Shade one circle only.

  • Between the Tropics.

  • In the centre of large land masses.

  • South of the Tropic of Capricorn.

  • Along the west coasts of Europe and Africa.

18b1 mark

Using Figure 4, name the tropical storm which caused the greatest number of deaths after the year 2000.

18c1 mark

Calculate the median number of deaths caused by the tropical storms listed in Figure 4.

18d2 marks

Outline one reason why the number of deaths caused by tropical storms varies.

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14 marks

Study Figure 4, a map showing the track of Hurricane Irma in September 2017.

BH3qxhpZ_fig-4-june-2018-paper1-qp-gcse-aqa-geo

Using Figure 4, describe the track of Hurricane Irma between 6 September 2017 and 12 September 2017.

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26 marks

Study Figure 3, information about Cyclone Idai and its impacts on Mozambique.

fsjwV2-y_fig-3-june-2020-paper1-qp-gcse-aqa-geo

Suggest why some tropical storms have severe primary and secondary effects.

Use Figure 3 and your own understanding.

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36 marks

Study Figure 2, information about extreme weather in the UK in the March 2018.

fig-2-june-2019-paper1-qp-gcse-aqa-geo

Suggest how extreme weather in the UK can have economic and social impacts.

Use Figure 2 and your own understanding.

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44 marks

Study Figure 7, using this and your own understanding explain why some areas of the UK get more rainfall than others

2B_3SxS7_screenshot-2023-06-22-at-15-27-56

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54 marks

Study Figures 1a and 1b, which show the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan on 8th November 2013

screenshot-2023-06-23-at-10-05-17

Figure 1a  Tacloban airport

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Figure 1b Tacloban coast near the airport

Using Figures 1a and 1b, and your own knowledge outline the social impacts of the typhoon

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66 marks

Study Figure 4, photographs showing some of the impacts of extreme weather in the UK.

Figure 4

figure-4-june-2022-paper-1-aqa-gcse-geography

‘UK weather is becoming more extreme.’

Do you agree?

Use Figure 4 and your own understanding

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19 marks

Study Figure 5, a news report and photograph showing the effects of Hurricane Irma on the Dutch island of Sint Maarten.

fig-5-june-2018-paper1-qp-gcse-aqa-geo

Assess the extent to which tropical storms have effects on people and the environment.
Use Figure 5 and an example you have studied.

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29 marks

Assess the extent to which monitoring of tropical storms can be useful in planning to reduce their impact?
Use an example that you have studied.

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39 marks

Assess how effective prediction, planning and protection methods are when coping with tropical storms. Use one or more named examples in your answer.

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