Severe Weather
Week 6
Questions for Discussion
 Which types of severe weather risk are you
willing to live with? Why?
 What level of risk from severe weather is
acceptable to you? (How would you know if
the severe weather risk was assessed
accurately?)
 What should be done by people and
communities to prepare for severe
weather hazards and prevent catastrophe?
Other Things to Consider
 What factors influence the impact of
severe weather?
 How do severe weather hazards vary
from place to place? Why?
 The five fundamental concepts form
Chapter 1
Weather & Climate
 Weather is…
 Climate is…
 Changing weather vs. changing
climate
How it works
 Energy transfer
 radiation (light>surface>air)
 convection (air currents)
 role of water
 Structure of the
atmosphere
Atmospheric
Circulation
 Heat energy moves
from equator to poles
 Creates high & low
pressure systems
 Deflected by coriolis
effect
Weather Systems
 Frontal weather & extra-tropical
cyclones (next slide)
 Tropical cyclones (next week)
 Monsoonal climates
 movement of ITCZ north and south with
the seasons
 ITCZ is zone of rising (and rainy) air
Frontal
Weather
Thunderstorms
 Lightning  Hail
 Rain
 Wind
Tornadoes
Risk
 Thunderstorms
 Tornadoes
Blizzards & Ice Storms
Other
Hazardous
Weather
 Fog
 Windstorms
 Dust & sand
storms
 Heatwaves
 Cold snaps