Hazardous environments

• A natural event - An event that occurs because of natural causes; these have always occurred on our dynamic earth.

• Risk - The potential for life and/or property to be harmed.

• A natural hazard - When people and/or property is at a risk from a natural event.

• A natural disaster - The realisation of a natural hazard; people and/ or property have been effected.

The air is heated above the surface of warm tropical waters. This warm air rises rapidly creating low pressure conditions.

The heat and rising air draws up large volumes of moisture (from the evaporation of water over the warm ocean surface)

This rising air and consequent low pressure draws in more air across the earth’s surface, causing strong surface winds. Once these reach 74mph, the storm is classified as a category one hurricane.

The Coriolis effect causes the air to spin as it rises around a calm central eye of the storm.

The fastest winds are found either side, around the eye wall.

• Low pressure (normally thunderstorms) to start the storm off.

• Sea temperature over 27*c between 60-70 metres deep to provide the energy.

• Coriolis effect to cause the spinning.

• Calm upper level winds (low wind shear) to allow the clouds to develop high.