STORMS
Thunderstorms
Life cycle of a thunderstorm
- Cum_____ulus stage
air rises (updraft) forming a cumulus cloud
updraft keeps precipitation from reaching the ground
- Mat______ure stage
eventually precipitation is heavy enough to fall thru updraft & hit ground, producing a downdraft
- Dissip____ating stage
downdraft weakens the updraft, cutting off moist air rising to the cloud
cloud begins to evaporate
Thunderstorms form mainly along ______– may last for days
Lightning:discharge of electricity from a:
______to the ground,
from ______to cloud,
or ______the cloud
Lightning – Inside
- Avoid contact with corded phones
- Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. If you plan to unplug any electronic equipment, do so well before the storm arrives.
- Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry.
- Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
- Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls.
Lightning – Outside
- Stay away from metal objects, such as fences, poles and backpacks. Metal is an excellent conductor. The current from a lightning flash will easily travel for long distances
- Do NOT seek shelter under tall isolated trees! The tree may help you stay dry but will significantly increase your risk of being struck by lightning. Rain will not kill you, but the lightning can!
- Do NOT seek shelter under partially enclosed buildings
- Stay away from tall, isolated objects. Lightning typically strikes the tallest object. That may be you in an open field or clearing.
Tornadoes
Tornado: violently rotating column of air that usually touches the ground
Formation
- ______updraft of air can rotate
- ______: spinning column formed by rotating updraft
- eventually, mesocyclone can touch ground & make ______
Tornado Fujita Scale
- ______– weakest, causes minor damage
- ______– most violent, can lift & transport sturdy buildings
Predicting
- Conventional ______can show ‘hooks’ of precipitation within______, but sometimes only shows hook once tornado hits ground – TOO LATE!
- ______radar can show rotation within the clouds giving up to ____ minutes warning before tornado forms.
Tornado: Watch & Warning
- ______indicates that conditions are right for a tornado to develop and that the sky should be watched. Be alert to changing weather conditions!
when there is a CHANCE of severe weather
- ______ indicates a tornado has been sighted or that radar indicates one has developed or could develop within minutes. Warnings will give the location of the tornado and the area immediately affected by the warning. When a warning is issued, move quickly to shelter!
when there is severe weather currently happening
What do I do?
Inside:
- Move to an interior room, preferably underground or on the bottom floor
- Protect your head & neck from flying debris
Outside:
- Move inside if possible
- If in a car, get OUT of the car & lie down flat on the ground, preferably in a ditch away from the car & anything that might fall on you.
Hurricanes
______: large rotating storm of tropical origin with sustained winds of at least 119 km/hr or 74 mph; usually occur in late summer, early fall. They lose energy when they travel over land and have a very LOW pressure system
Formation
- _____: extremely low pressure center of the hurricane; ______here, so no clouds & ______.
- ______: ring of violent ______around the eye; ______& rain are here.
Characteristics
Hurricane classified by______, from tropical depression to tropical storm to hurricane
Effects
- Storm surge: large wave of water caused by a low-pressure system
- High winds create large waves to damage coast & cause flooding
- Worst damage happens to right of hurricane in N hemp, because wind blows counterclockwise around the low, so the strongest winds are on the right
Saffir/Simpson Scale
- Category 1: minor hurricane, 74-95 mph wind, minimal damage
- Category 5: catastrophic hurricane, >155 mph wind, buildings destroyed & full evacuation, catastrophic damage
What do I do?
- If there is an evacuation order, EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!
- Cover windows with plywood to protect them from flying debris
- Secure all outside furniture
- Danger is in high winds & flooding
- Beware of the calm at the eye. The storm isn’t over yet!
Winter storms
Blizzard______: winter storm with winds of ______ or more with considerable falling or blowing snow causing ______.
Categorizing a blizzard:
- ______winds of _____ mph
- Must last for at least ____ hours
- Winds can become high enough to create ______conditions which means visibility is less than a ____ of a mile
- Blizzards usually happen after there’s been a ______(long) period of cold weather.
- Blizzards are ______common in the northern ______.
What do I do?
If a blizzard is predicted, purchase supplies ahead of time to last at least a week.
Once the storm starts, STAY INSIDE! You can survive without food & melt snow for water. You cannot survive without shelter.
Don’t go outside for any reason. Visibility is often so low you’ll get lost between your front door & the car.
Nor’easter
N_____or’easter: ____ system along ______that blows strong winds from the ______; not cold enough for a blizzard usually, but very strong winds & damage
HUMAN’S EFFECTS ON THE CLIMATE/ATMOSPHERE