Tropical Storms and Climate Change

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to tropical storms, climate change, and geomorphic processes.

Tropical Storms

Intense low pressure weather systems with heavy rain and strong winds that spiral around the centre.

Hurricane

A type of tropical storm that occurs in the North Atlantic.

Typhoon

A type of tropical storm that occurs in the Northwest Pacific.

Cyclone

A type of tropical storm that occurs in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Coriolis Effect

The effect of Earth's rotation on the direction of winds and currents.

Condensation

The process of gas transforming into a liquid, releasing energy.

Eyewall

The area surrounding the eye of a tropical storm containing the most intense winds and rain.

Storm Surge

A rise in seawater level due to storm winds and atmospheric pressure.

Extreme Rain

Excessively high amounts of precipitation that can occur in tropical storms.

Flooding

Overflow of water onto land that is usually dry, often caused by heavy rainfall.

Erosion

The process of soil and rock being removed from the Earth's surface by natural forces.

Severe Weather Events

Extreme weather conditions including hurricanes, floods, droughts, and heatwaves.

Climate Change

Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases like carbon dioxide and methane that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Mitigation Strategies

Approaches aimed at reducing the causes and severity of climate change.

Adaptation Strategies

Methods used to cope with the effects of climate change.

Precipitation Patterns

Trends in the amount and type of water that falls as rain, snow, etc.

Natural Landscape

A landscape primarily characterized by natural features, such as mountains and forests.

Built Landscape

Landscapes significantly altered by human activities, like urban areas or cultivated fields.

V-shaped Valleys

Steep-sided valleys formed by the vertical erosion of the river.

Oxbow Lake

A crescent-shaped lake formed when a meander is cut off from the river.

Levee

Raised bank alongside a river, created by the deposition of sediment.

Mass Movement

The downward movement of soil and rock due to gravity.

Longshore Drift

The movement of sediment along the coast by wave action.

Headland

A point of land that juts out into the sea, formed from resistant rock.

Bay

An area of calm water partially enclosed by land, formed where less resistant rock erodes.

Sand Dune

A hill of sand formed by the wind, usually found on beaches.