secondary - storms - prevention

STORMSPREVENTION

SECONDARY LEVEL

e-Learning for the Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural Disasters

IN THIS LESSON YOU WILL LEARN

●What is a storm?●What causes a storm?●Signs of a storm.●Types of storms.●The damage and impact of storms.


WHAT IS A STORM?

A storm is any disturbed state of an environment or the earth's atmosphere affecting its surface and implying severe weather.


Do you know what a storm is?


Weather is not always the same. You can tell so by looking outside or find out about the weather by watching weather forecasts on the TV, Internet, Mobile phone apps, Radio and so on.



Storms are a natural

phenomenon and can’t be

“prevented” but you can be more aware and better prepared if they do affect you.

Weather is not always the same. You can tell so by looking outside or find out about the weather by watching weather forecasts on the TV, Internet, Mobile phone apps, Radio and so on.



Storms may be marked by strong winds, hail, thunder and/or lightning.



Video

What causes a storm?




A storm is caused by a high or low pressure area creating winds and storm clouds

Image courtesy of Vlado at FreeDigitalPhotos.net



Storms are created when a center of low pressure

develops with a system of high pressure

surrounding it. This combination of opposing forces can create WINDS

and result in the formation of STORM

CLOUDS.© Copyright Richard Croft and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.



Small localised areas of low pressure can form from hot air rising off hot ground, resulting in smaller disturbances such as dust devils and whirlwinds.

Signs of a storm


Signs of a storm


Storms can include one or more of the following types of extreme weather:

Signs of a storm



• High winds

Signs of a storm



• High winds • Clouds

Signs of a storm



• High winds • Clouds• Precipitation – rain, snow, ice,

sleet, hail

Signs of a storm




sleet, hail • Thunder and lightning

Signs of a storm




sleet, hail • Thunder and lightning • Storm surges

Signs of a storm




sleet, hail • Thunder and lightning • Storm surges • Hurricanes

Signs of a storm


WIND

Wind is air that is in motion.

Signs of a storm


WINDThe sun heats the Earth’s surface. As the Earth’s surface heats, so does the atmosphere. Some parts of the Earth receive more direct heat and stay warmer ,while others are cooler. Warm air weighs less than cool air and so it rises. As it does, cooler more dense air replaces the risen warmer air. The movement of that air is what causes wind.

Source: NOAA

Signs of a storm


WIND

The speed of wind is measured with

a special instrument called an ANEMOMETER

Signs of a storm


A strict meteorological definition of a terrestrial storm is a wind measuring 10 or higher on the

Beaufort scale.

Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort devised the

scale in 1805WIND

Signs of a storm


WIND

The Beaufort scale

Signs of a storm


WIND can change how warm or cold we feel:

FASTER WIND MAKES YOU FEEL COLDER!CHILL – the temperature your body feels as a result of the outside temperature and wind speed.

WIND

Signs of a storm


WIND

CLICK TO

WATCH A

VIDEO

Signs of a storm


CLOUDS

Clouds are formed when a mass of warm rises up over a mass of

cold air.

Signs of a storm


CLOUDS

The range of ways in which clouds can be formed and the variable nature of the atmosphere results in an great variety of shapes, sizes and textures of clouds.

Signs of a storm


CLOUDSCUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS

CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS are heavy and dense low-level clouds, extending high into the sky in towers, plumes or mountain shaped peaks. The base is often flat and very dark, and may only be a few hundred feet above the Earth’s surface.

© Copyright Richard Croft and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.

Signs of a storm


CLOUDS

CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS are associated with thunderstorms and atmospheric instability. These clouds are capable of producing lightning and other dangerous severe weather.

Signs of a storm


CLOUDS

NIMBOSTRATUS CLOUDS are dark grey or bluish grey featureless layers of clouds, thick enough to block out the sun. These mid-level clouds are often accompanied by continuous heavy rain or snow and cover most of the sky.

NIMBOSTRATUS CLOUDS

Source: Met Office

Signs of a storm


If there is HAIL, THUNDER or LIGHTNING it is a CUMULONIMBUS CLOUD rather than NIMBOSTRATUS CLOUD

CLOUDS

Signs of a storm


A FUNNEL CLOUD is a cone-shaped cloud which extends from the base of a cloud towards the ground without reaching the ground. They are formed in the same way as a tornado, building around an area of intensely low pressure and are typically associated with the formation of cumulonimbus clouds.

FUNNEL CLOUD

© Copyright Tony Atkinand licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.

Signs of a storm


Check out the following link from the Met Office in the UK to know more about clouds

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/clouds

CLOUDS



Signs of a storm


Or check out this video

CLOUDS

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATION

PRECIPITATION is any form of water formed by condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere falling from the sky.

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATIONRAIN

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATIONRAIN

HAIL

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATIONRAIN

SLEET

HAIL

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATIONRAIN

SLEET

HAIL SNOW

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATION

RAIN

RAIN is water that is condensed from theaqueous vapour in the atmosphere and falls to earth in drops from as small as 0.5mm in diameter to 6mm.

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATIONHAIL

Hail is showery precipitation in the form of irregular pellets or balls of ice. Their diameter can range from 5 to 50mm or even more, and fall on

earth from a cumulonimbus cloud.

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATION

SLEET

SLEET is frozen precipitation that partially melts as it falls to

the ground.

Signs of a storm


PRECIPITATION

SNOW

SNOW is precipitation in the form of ice crystals, combining to become

snowflakes. The snowflakes become heavy enough to fall to the ground.

Types of storms


Types of storms


A storm that generates lightning and thunder, it is usually accompanied by heavy precipitation.

THUNDERSTORM

Source: Kevin Wadsworth, The Met Office

Types of storms


Watch this Met Office video

THUNDERSTORM

Source: Kevin Wadsworth, The Met Office

Types of storms


A snowstorm is a heavy fall of snow accumulating at a rate of more than 5 centimetres (2 inches) per hour that lasts several hours.

SNOWSTORM

© Copyright David Stowell and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.

Types of storms


A blizzard is accompanied by gale-force winds, heavy snow (accumulating at a

rate of at least 5 centimetres (2 inches) per

hour, and very cold conditions (below

approximately -10 degrees Celsius or 14ºF.

BLIZZARD

© Copyright Andy Dolman and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence

Types of storms


A wind storm is a storm marked by high wind with little or no precipitation. High winds are also the cause of Dust Storms and Sand Storms in dry climates.

WIND STORM

© Copyright David Baird and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence

Types of storms


A hailstorm is a type of storm that precipitates round chunks of ice. Hailstorms usually occur during regular thunder storms. While most of the hail that precipitates from the clouds is fairly small and virtually harmless, there are occasional occurrences of hail greater than 2 inches in diameter that can cause much damage and injury.

HAILSTORM

© Copyright Mat Fascione and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence

Types of storms


A tropical cyclone is a storm system with a closed circulation around a centre of low pressure, fuelled by the heat released when moist air rises and condenses. Tropical cyclones are distinguished from other cyclonic storms such as nor’easters and polar lows by the heat mechanism that fuels them, which makes them “warm core” storm systems. Tropical cyclones form over oceans, and depending on their strength and location, there are various terms by which they are called, such as tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane and typhoon.

TROPICAL CYCLONE

Types of storms


A tornado is a violent, destructive wind storm occurring on land. Usually its appearance is that of a dark, funnel-shaped cloud. Often tornadoes are preceded by a thunderstorm and a wall cloud. They are often called the most destructive of storms, and while they form all over the world, the interior of the United States has the most prone areas, especially throughout Tornado Alley.

TORNADO

Commons Wikimedia

The damage and impact of storms




Storms result in numerous weather-related impacts,

both inland and around the coast





FLOODING





FLOODING

STORM SURGE





FLOODING

STORM SURGE DIFFICULT TO MOVE AROUND





FLOODING

STORM SURGE DIFFICULT TO MOVE AROUND

HIGH WINDS



STORMS CAN CAUSE FLOODING:

FLOODING



STORMS CAN CAUSE FLOODING:➢Heavy rain may cause the water level to rise

FLOODING



STORMS CAN CAUSE FLOODING:➢Heavy rain may cause the water level to rise➢Drains can be blocked during storms and water has no where to go

FLOODING



STORMS CAN CAUSE FLOODING:➢Heavy rain may cause the water level to rise➢Drains can be blocked during storms and water has no where to go ➢Melting snow can sometimes cause flooding after the storm has passed

FLOODING



Strong winds, high tides and tidal surges acting in combination create huge waves, known as a storm surge.

STORM SURGE

© Copyright David Baird and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence



High winds can damage houses and buildings – they can blow tiles off of roofs, damage windows, blow loose items around. Dirt and other material can be blown into people’s eyesHigh winds can make it difficult to walk.High winds can make it difficult to drive, particularly for lorries, cars towing caravans and other large vehicles. Very high winds can actually blow vehicles over, which is very dangerous.

HIGH WINDS



•Slippery paths and roads

DIFFICULT TO MOVE AROUND:



•Slippery paths and roads•Snow can block paths and roads, especially if there are large snow drifts




•Slippery paths and roads•Snow can block paths and roads, especially if there are large snow drifts•Cars, trains and buses may not be able to travel or may get stuck




High winds can damage trees and shrubs and can cause trees to fall down.



High winds can damage trees and shrubs and can cause trees to fall down.Falling trees can damage buildings and cars.



High winds can damage trees and shrubs and can cause trees to fall down.Falling trees can damage buildings and cars. Falling trees can also injure or kill people.

REMEMBERStorms may be marked by strong winds, hail,

thunder and/or lightning.

Storms can be very dangerous.


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