AS Unit 2: AS Unit 2: Extreme WeatherExtreme Weather

The nature and distribution of different types of extreme weather

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Development Compass Rose

Extreme Weather Events

• Tornado• Hurricane• Drought• Wildfire• Blizzards / Ice Storms• Heatwaves• Continual Depressions (prolonged wind and rain)

• Tornado• Hurricane• Drought• Wildfire• Blizzards / Ice Storms• Heatwaves• Continual Depressions (prolonged wind and rain)

WHICH TYPE OF EXTREME WEATHER HAS THE MOST IMPACT?

WHY?

Use the compass rose to sort all the ideas from your group.

How can we classify an extreme weather event?

• ScaleScale: Widespread – small scale/local

• DevelopmentDevelopment: rapid – slow

• DurationDuration: Long – short

• Economic CostsEconomic Costs: High – Low

• FatalitiesFatalities: High – Low

• Any other?

We all think about and talk about the weather. It affects our decisions

and can change our lives….

What is the IMPACT of weather?

• Classify all your DETAILED responses into…

• SOCIO-CULTURAL (people and society)

• ENVIRONMENTAL/ECOLOGICAL

• ECONOMIC

Socio-Cultural

• Accident records from A&E (impact of cold vs hot, especially at festivals, sporting events etc)

• Health and low-level ozone• Impact on sporting activities, e.g.• (i) Football – visibility, rain, waterlogged pitch,

(ii) Tennis, rain, high winds, visibility

(iii) Cricket, rain (heat (problem for players), visibility, humidity (ball swing)

(iv) Formula 1 – choice of types: dry vs wet etc

• Climate change indicators, e.g. dates of: frog spawn, butterflies, bumblebee, ladybird.

• Dates of appearance, comparison with previous years (‘Springwatch’)

• Weather conditions and use of water by people and plants

• Qualitative observations of grass quality / stress due to lack of moisture; plant health, e.g. symptoms of frost, water-logging; plant stress detection glasses

Environmental / Ecological

• Sales in stores, e.g. summer vs winter clothing, ice-creams, beer, BBQs.

• Use of special promotions to meet demand • Work – poor weather absences, or loss of days due to

good weather (questionnaire at school?)• Loss of agricultural output / productivity, e.g correlation of

weather (especially drought) to commodity prices, oral histories

• Window of opportunity, i.e. extension of summer season• Issue of water resources, e.g. irrigation of golf-courses • Damage to roads in extreme weather, e.g. high intensity

rain triggers landslides (susceptibility score)• Property damage, e.g. claims on subsidence (drought),

windstorm damage, freezing (burst pipe)• Costs of abandonment policies for outdoor spectacles

Economic

Extended Weekly Task …in addition to your own background reading!

• Keep a weather diary for 7 days • (see (see weather diary exemplars)• What should this include? How do I record it?What should this include? How do I record it?• Use the STUDY ROOM with weather station (online soon!)Use the STUDY ROOM with weather station (online soon!)

• Read into the info sheet on Read into the info sheet on The passing of a The passing of a depressiondepression – this may occur over the next 14 days!

• Next weeks lesson:

• This will start with a brief look at WEATHER EXTREMES IN THE UK. You might like to find out for example, the coldest recorded temperature, the wettest place, or the warmest month on record.