Tropical storms Cambridge IGCSE Geography revision
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In plain words
Cyclone, hurricane, typhoon: three names for the same thing, in different oceans. They are giant spinning storms that draw their energy from warm sea, and when one reaches land it brings the three things that kill: wind, rain, and the sea itself.
7 things to know
- Tropical storms are called hurricanes in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, typhoons in the western Pacific, and cyclones in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific.
- They form over oceans with a surface temperature of at least about 27 °C, between about 5° and 30° north and south of the Equator. They do not form on the Equator itself, because the Earth's spin has too little effect there.
- They move westwards and then away from the Equator, and lose strength over land or cold water, because their supply of warm, moist air is cut off.
- Hazards: very strong winds, torrential rain causing floods and landslides, and a storm surge, a rise in sea level that floods the coast.
- Impacts. Social: deaths, injuries and homelessness. Economic: damage to buildings, crops, power lines and businesses. Environmental: flooding with salt water, and damage to forests and reefs.
- Management is by four Ps. Prediction: satellites and computer models track storms and forecast where they will land. Preparation: warnings, evacuation routes, emergency supplies and education.
- Protection: storm shelters, sea walls, buildings on stilts, and mangroves that absorb wave energy. Planning: avoiding building in the areas most at risk.
Worked example
Explain why a tropical storm of the same strength usually kills more people in a low-income country than in a high-income country.
- Prediction and warning: a low-income country may have fewer ways to forecast the storm and warn everyone in time.
- Protection: houses are often weaker, and there may be few shelters or sea defences.
- Response: there are fewer emergency services and less money for rescue, medical care and rebuilding.
Tips and tricks
- Storm surges cause most deaths, not wind. Mention the surge when describing hazards.
- The four Ps (prediction, preparation, protection, planning) give a ready structure for any management answer.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Tropical storms: 6 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
What is a tropical storm called in the Atlantic Ocean?
The storm is the same. Only the name changes.
What sea temperature is needed for a tropical storm to form?
Warm water supplies the energy.
Why do tropical storms weaken over land?
They are powered by evaporation from warm sea.
What is a storm surge?
Low pressure and strong winds pile the water up against the coast.
Which of the four Ps does a cyclone shelter belong to?
It protects people during the storm.
Why do mangroves reduce the impact of tropical storms?
A belt of mangroves is a natural coastal defence.
Quiz
6 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 9 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Tropical storms
Cambridge IGCSE Geography 0460 · 9 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
State two conditions needed for a tropical storm to form.[2]
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A sea surface temperature of at least about 27 °C. A position between about 5° and 30° from the Equator.
Describe three hazards of a tropical storm.[3]
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Very strong winds that destroy buildings. Torrential rain that causes flooding and landslides. A storm surge that floods low-lying coasts.
Describe two ways of reducing the impacts of tropical storms.[4]
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Prediction: satellites track the storm so that people can be warned. Protection: cyclone shelters give people a safe place to go. (Also: evacuation plans, mangroves, stronger buildings.)
Answers: Tropical storms
- 1. A sea surface temperature of at least about 27 °C. A position between about 5° and 30° from the Equator.
- 2. Very strong winds that destroy buildings. Torrential rain that causes flooding and landslides. A storm surge that floods low-lying coasts.
- 3. Prediction: satellites track the storm so that people can be warned. Protection: cyclone shelters give people a safe place to go. (Also: evacuation plans, mangroves, stronger buildings.)