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Powerful Storms

Tropical Storms – Hurricanes / Cyclones / Typhoons / Tornadoes and / Blizzards. Powerful Storms. The atmosphere is in continual motion, with swirling masses of air that create our weather.

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Powerful Storms

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  1. Tropical Storms – Hurricanes / Cyclones / Typhoons / Tornadoes and / Blizzards Powerful Storms

  2. The atmosphere is in continual motion, with swirling masses of air that create our weather. This movement of air masses happens for 2 reasons : the earth is spinning in its daily rotation, and its surface is unevenly heated. Powerful storms sometimes occur as a result. Tropical Storms

  3. Where do tropical storms occur?

  4. From the map, you can see that hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons all begin in oceans on each side of the equator. From there, they sweep toward the mid-latitudes, sometimes reaching as far as Nova Scotia. These tropical storms originate from warm ocean waters. Think of them as swirling mountains of warm, moist air heated by the sun Tropical Storms

  5. As a mound of warm air rises from the ocean surface, cooler air blows into the base of the air mass As the new air is heated and rises the storm grows larger and spins faster. North America could be powered for half a year on the energy of one hurricane season! Tropical Storms

  6. How tropical storms are formed

  7. Hurricanes affecting the Caribbean and Eastern North America originate off the coast of Africa Cyclones form over the Indian Ocean Typhoons start in the Pacific Ocean. The power of all three kinds of storms is measured with the Saffir-Simpson Scale. – named after the scientist who created it. Hurricanes / Cyclones / Typhoons

  8. The Saffir – simpson scale

  9. Saffir – simpson scale

  10. The STORM SURGE is the sudden rise in sea level caused by high winds pushing water toward coastlines. It is a continuous tsunami, though not as high. Storm surge

  11. In 2005 – 2005, twice as many hurricanes as predicted rose in the Atlantic Ocean. So many hurricanes occurred in 2005 that scientists completed the alpabet of names before the season ended. That year – 5 hurricanes grew to category 4 and 5 in size. That season caused 2280 hurricane-related deaths and $100 billion in property damage. The Global Warming link

  12. Many scientists believe that global warming is causing changes in hurricane activity. Tropical storms are fed by surface waters that have been heated to 28 degree C. Since 1970, average ocean surface temperatures have increased by more than half a degree. This may not seem like much, but it brings the Atlantic hurricane region right up to that 28 degree C level. In 2005 the Gulf of Mexico reached almost 35 degree C. Global Warming the cause?

  13. Two recent studies found that the number of Category 4 and 5 tropical storms has almost doubled in the past 30 years. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) believe that hurricanes will be even stronger, with much more rainfall – the reason – increasing ocean temperatures due to GLOBAL WARMING! Recent studies

  14. Hurricane isabel

  15. Hurricane Katrina 2008

  16. Katrina's damage

  17. Katrina's damage

  18. Katrina’s damage

  19. More Katrina's damage

  20. More Katrina's damage

  21. Answer the following question in your geography notebook In your own words, or with pictures and diagrams, explain the following (a) what causes a tropical storm to develop? (b) how is this linked to global warming? (c)why is the storm surge so dangerous? Thinking it over

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