Climate Change
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Measuring and Predicting Storms
Comparing Storms
100
Describe how climate change and global warming might be impacting wildlife. Why is it a problem?
Climate change and global warming are affecting the habitats of wildlife - completely changing the ways that animals live and how they are able to get food. Some wildlife are at risk of going extinct (polar bears), because they have not adapted to the changes.
100
What do hurricanes need in order to make them stronger and last for a longer period of time?
Warm moisture from the ocean.
100
Describe the way a tornado looks.
It can be any colour because it picks up debris on the ground. It is funnel shaped that tapers at the bottom where it touches the ground. It can be wide at the top.
100
What are the two factors that go into measuring the intensity of a hurricane?
Storm surge and wind speed.
100
What is the difference between hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons?
They are all the same type of tropical storm that thrives off warm moist air over the ocean. The only difference is where they occur - Typhoons in northwest Asia (around Japan), Cyclones in a majority of the world - from Australia to western Africa, and Hurricanes occurring from eastern Africa and over to the Caribbean and North America.
200
Is climate change solely about the Earth getting warmer?
No, climate change means there's a fluctuation in temperature both cold and hot. Due to erratic climate however, it is causing more natural disasters and more unpredictable seasons.
200
What are the 4 stages a storm goes through on its way to becoming a hurricane?
Tropical Disturbance Tropical Depression Tropical Storm Hurricane
200
When does a funnel cloud become a tornado?
When it touches land.
200
This is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its motion, and estimate its type. It is used to help meteorologists to predict large storm cells that might become tornadoes. What is this radar called?
Doppler radar
200
Describe the difference in the lifespan of hurricanes and tornadoes.
Hurricanes take weeks to develop and last, whereas tornadoes take minutes to develop and usually do not last longer than 10 minutes (although there are exceptions)
300
How might climate change make hurricanes worse?
If the climate continues to change and get warmer, this will help tropical storms develop and turn into hurricanes. If hurricanes need warm water to keep them going, then warmer temperatures will also help the storms last longer.
300
Why is storm surge such a devastating part of a hurricane? Why might it be even worse on an island?
Storm surge is devastating because: - the power of the waves can be so forceful they may knock down structures - they flooding they cause can be difficult to survive; it also means in the future structures may be unstable, or may have mold. - On small islands, if there is storm surge coming from more than one direction, this means the force is intensified and there will be little place to seek shelter.
300
Where is Tornado Alley and why is it located where it is?
Tornado Alley is in the midwestern USA. It has the most tornadoes of anywhere else because it gets gusts of cool winds off the Rockies to the west, and warm air from the south in the Gulf of Mexico.
300
The EF Scale is used to measure the intensity of a tornado. How many levels are there to the scale? What is measured within a tornado to tell what level it is?
The EF Scale has 6 levels - 0 to 5. The measure of wind speed/second is measured to determine what level the tornado is.
300
Is it possible for there to be tornadoes during a hurricane?
YES
400
What is David Suzuki's opinion on climate change and global warming?
He believes climate change is a real threat, and that humans are worsening what is happening because of our activities (most of which include burning fossil fuels).
400
At which stage are storms in the ocean named? How are they named?
Storms are named as soon as they develop into Tropical Storms. They are named through a 6 year rotation of names that alternate between male and female names. If there is a devastating storm, then that storm name is retired and replaced with another. If all letters of the alphabet are gone through, then the Greek alphabet is used.
400
If hurricanes and tornadoes both have the potential to reach the same wind speed, why might the tornado cause more damage.
Due to the quick moving, condensed funnel cloud, tornadoes have the potential to cause more damage.
400
What is the name of the system used to measure Hurricanes?
Saffir-Simpson Scale.
400
Describe the pattern of movement a hurricane takes vs. a tornado.
A hurricane has a relatively predictable path since it is influenced by wind and currents - since hurricanes take weeks to develop meteorologists generally know the path of a hurricane. Tornadoes are much more unpredictable. Scientists are still unsure why some storms cause tornadoes while others don't, they also don't fully know how to stop tornadoes or why they touch down where they do, and why they swerve through communities in the pattern they do.
500
Describe how the Greenhouse Effect might be causing global warming.
Gases get released from the Earth and into the atmosphere. When the suns rays hit the Earth, they get absorbed and later reflect back out. However, when gases collect in the atmosphere it creates a layer that traps the heat from the sun on Earth. This collection of heat is causing global warming.
500
What is the name of the hurricane that hit the GTA in 1954?
Hurricane Hazel
500
What is the vortex of a tornado?
The spiraling air that makes up the tornado is what is referred to as the vortex. This is what gives a tornado its characteristic look (wider at the top, with a narrow funnel at the bottom).
500
Name 6 countries that start with the letter 'S'?
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500
If you had to experience either natural disaster, which would you choose. Why?
Your Opinion
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