Transcript Weather Phenomena

Weather
Phenomena
SOL WG.2a
Monsoons
• Monsoons are wind patterns in
South and Southeast Asia.
• There are two types of monsoons
in South Asia, the winter monsoon
and the summer monsoon.
Monsoons
• Summer Monsoon - The wind
blows from the southwest, bringing
moist ocean air that causes rain.
• Winter Monsoon - The wind blows
from the northeast, bringing dry
air.
Monsoons
• The summer monsoon brings
heavy rainfall to South and
Southeast Asia and can cause
severe flooding. However, the rain
is also beneficial because people
need the water for irrigation.
Tropical Storms
• Tropical storms are storms that
form over water and are
characterized by strong winds and
thunderstorms that rotate around
an eye.
• Tropical storms have different
names around the world.
Tropical Storms
• Tropical storms form in the low latitudes
between the Tropic of Cancer and
Capricorn. This area is also known as
the tropics.
• Tropical storms that form in the Atlantic
Ocean and Caribbean Sea are called
hurricanes.
• Tropical storms that form in the Pacific
near Asia or the Indian Ocean are called
typhoons.
Tropical Storms
• Tropical storms form over water and are
fueled by heat that is released when
moist air rises. When tropical storms
move over land they generally lose
power.
• The hurricane season in the Atlantic
Ocean is between June and November.
• The typhoon season in the Southwest
Pacific is from October to May.
Tropical Storms
• Hurricanes can affect people in several
different ways:
 They cause storm surges (a large wave
that can flood areas low in elevation).
 They destroy houses with violent winds.
 They cause flooding from severe rain.
Tropical Storms
• Why do fewer people die from
tropical storms in developed
countries?
A. Developed countries have better infrastructures.
Houses and buildings must be built according to
building codes.
B. Developed countries have better warning systems
so people can prepare for storms.
C. Developed countries have systems in place to
help people after the storm is over.
Tropical Storms
• Other things people can do to
prepare for tropical storms.
Build dams or dykes to stop storm
surges.
Build shelters to protect people
from storm surges or high winds.
Designate evacuation routes.
Tropical Storms
• Some countries that have many
tropical storms:
• Cuba, U.S., Haiti, Dominican
Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica,
India, Bangladesh, Myanmar,
Thailand, Vietnam
Tornadoes
• A tornado is a twisting, funnel
shaped storm. Tornadoes can
occur on every continent but they
are most commonly found in North
America.
Tornadoes
• Tornado Alley is a term created by
the media to refer to an area in
middle America that gets many
tornadoes. A few states in this
area are Texas, Kansas, Nebraska,
and Oklahoma.
Tornadoes
• The Fujita scale rates the intensity
of a tornado on a scale from 0 to
5. An F0 will cause light damage
and an F5 will completely destroy
buildings and even skyscrapers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32L5OtnIPGk
Droughts
• A drought is a prolonged period of
time with no precipitation.
Droughts are common in arid
regions and can cause severe
hardship.
• Droughts in Africa have caused
thousands of people to migrate in
search of food and water.