Transcript Tropical Storms - Education Scotland








A severe depression.
Wind speeds reach over 60 km/h but can reach
over 200 km/h.
Found over oceans within 30° of the equator.
Start on the eastern sides of oceans.
Move westwards.
Die out over land.
If wind speed reaches 120 km/h then it is a
hurricane.





As the storm approaches, air pressure and
temperature drop; cloud cover and rainfall
increase.
Huge cumulonimbus clouds rise up near the centre
and torrential rain falls; wind speeds reach their
maximum.
At the centre, the eye is calm, clear, warm and dry.
Once the centre passes, huge clouds appear again
with very heavy rain and very strong winds.
At the edge of the storm, the air pressure and
temperature rise; cloud cover and rainfall
decrease.




http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/education/teachers
/videos/what-are-hurricanes
This explains in fairly simple terms where and
how tropical storms occur.
During the 6-minute video, learners should
make a note of 10 things they didn’t know
about tropical storms.
Class discussion to follow.


Staff could refer to Intermediate Geography
(2nd edition) by Calvin Clarke or to the Met
Office website for some diagrams across a
storm.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/tropicalcyc
lone/facts
(5) As the air rises
and spreads more,
warm damp air is
sucked in at great
speed to take its
place.
(4) High in the
atmosphere
the air
spreads out.
(1) Warm
damp air rises
rapidly.
(2) Air begins to
spiral because
of the spinning
of the Earth.
(3) Warm air cools as it
rises, the water vapour
condenses, clouds form
and rain falls.
You are going to do some research into this hurricane, which
occurred on 29 October 2012.
Can you remember anything about it, eg:

Where did it occur?

What damage was caused?

What was the impact on people?

How did people try to prepare?

Were any lives lost?

What was the impact on the landscape?
You will probably have to go on the internet to find out more
about it. Jot down some of the key points.

Instead of just writing a factual account of the
hurricane, you are going to try to imagine that you
were living in New York from Monday 28 October
until Wednesday 30 October. Some Scottish
schoolchildren were actually there at that time as
they were taking part in a debating competition.
You can write a diary extract for the three days or a
letter to your family describing how you felt. You
could create a Fakebook page for a person who
was there or even for the Mayor of New York or
President Obama.
(http://www.classtools.net/fb/home/page)