Natural Disasters

 How do Earth's systems interact during a storm?

 Describe ways humans protect themselves from hazardous weather and sun exposure.  Investigate how natural disasters affect human life in Florida.  Essential Question  How have natural disasters affected lives in Florida?  How do humans protect themselves from hazardous weather and sun exposure?

 hsystem/naturaldisasters/ hsystem/naturaldisasters/  1. What do tornadoes and hurricanes have in common?  a. They both form over the ocean  b. They both involve strong winds  c. They are both types of tropical storms  d. They both include funnelshapedclouds

 Weather that can cause serious property damage and sometimes death  Three main forms that affect Florida – Thunderstorms Tornadoes Hurricanes Also sinkholes

 Small, intense weather system that produces strong winds, heavy rain, lightning, and thunder  Two atmospheric conditions must be present: 1) warm moist air rising  2) unstable atmosphere which is when the air is colder than the rising air mass (COLD FRONT)  3smmcUY 3smmcUY

 Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan. Build an emergency kitmake a family communications plan  Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage during a severe thunderstorm.  Postpone outdoor activities.  Remember the 30/30 Lightning Safety RuleSecure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage.  Get inside a home, building, or hard top automobile (not a convertible). Remember, rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal.  Shutter windows and secure outside doors. If shutters are not available, close window blinds, shades or curtains.  Unplug any electronic equipment well before the storm arrives.

 What's the biggest danger posed by thunderstorms?  a. Being blown around by high winds  b. Being soaked by heavy rain  c. Being deafened by loud thunder  d. Being struck by lightning

 Lightning is created by an electrical discharge between a positive and negative area Lower in clouds = negative Higher in clouds = positive Land = positive  Thunder is a result of rapidly expanding air Lightning strikes, heats up air, expands quickly, vibrates and releases sound wave 0gNl5f4BU

 Lightning is an electric current.  Within a thundercloud, many small bits of ice bump into each other. All of those collisions create an electric charge.  The cloud fills up with electrical charges. There are positive charges at the top and negative charges at the bottom of the cloud.  Opposites attract so a positive charge builds up on the ground beneath the cloud.  The ground’s electrical charge concentrates around anything that sticks up, such as mountains, people, or single trees.  The charge coming up from these points eventually connects with a charge reaching down from the clouds.

 The “30/30 Rule” is a common term to remember for a thunderstorm. Once you see lightning strike, count to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach the number 30, get indoors. Once the storm has passed, don’t go outside until it’s been 30 minutes since the last time you heard thunder.  Listen to Weather Reports  Most people who are hit by lightning get caught outdoors during the summertime. Some of the most common incidents happen when people are hiking or on the golf course.

 Destructive, rotating column of air that has very high speed winds and is sometimes a visible funnel-shaped cloud Only becomes visible as the tornado picks up dust from the ground or from the air  Forms when a thunderstorm meets with horizontal winds; winds cause the thunderstorm to spin

 Rotating, funnel-shaped clouds from powerful thunderstorms  Winds up to 300 MPH capable of producing major damage  More occur in the United States than anywhere else in the world; they occur in every state in America.  _1ac _1ac

 Pick a place where family members could gather if a tornado is headed your way. A center hallway, bathroom, or closet on the lowest floor. Keep this place uncluttered.  If you are in a high-rise building, you may not have enough time to go to the lowest floor. Pick a place in a hallway in the center of the building.

 Massive severe storms occurring in the tropics  Winds greater than 75 MPH  Clouds & winds spin around the eye  Produce heavy rains, high winds, large waves, and spin-off tornadoes

  Tropical low-pressure system with winds blowing at speeds of 119 km/h (74 mi/h) or more  Ranked into Category based upon wind speed – 1 = weakest, 5 strongest  As long as it stays above warm water, it can grow bigger and more powerful  Called typhoons when they form over the Western Pacific; called cyclones when they form over the Indian Ocean

 Hurricane winds can lift cars, uproot trees, and tear roofs off buildings  When a hurricane moves into a coastal area, it pushes a huge amount of ocean water known as a storm surge; causes large waves, sea level rises, backs up rivers, and floods the shores

 Tropical Storms (which may form into hurricanes) are assigned names to better identify them while tracking them Uses the letters in order of the alphabet (new set each year); Alternates Boy/Girl Example: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian  Katrina (2005) = Category 4-3 at landfall  Andrew (1992) = Category 5  Only 32 Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes have EVER formed; only 3 have made landfall at a Cat 5 in FL

 Stay informed by tuning in to weather updates. Hurricanes are unpredictable.  Have a vehicle ready. Check gas, oil, water and maintenance.  Check emergency evacuation supplies.  Fill clean containers and bathtubs with water for drinking, cooking, washing and to flush toilets.  Turn the refrigerator and freezer controls to the coldest settings.  Board or put storm shutters on windows to reduce the risk and danger of broken windows and flying glass.  Clear yard of loose objects, bicycles, lawn furniture, trash cans, etc.  Secure boats.

 R esult from heavy rains  May involve rivers overflowing, storm surge/ocean waves, & dams or levees breaking  Most common natural hazard  Flashfloods = floods that happen very fast

 Determine whether you live in a potential flood zone. Keep abreast of road conditions through the news media. Move to a safe area before access is cut off by flood water.  Develop a flood emergency action plan.  Have FLOOD INSURANCE. Flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance. Do not make assumptions. Check your policy. Purchase and use a NOAA Weather Radio.FLOOD INSURANCENOAA Weather Radio

Suwannee River Cedar Key

 Occur in forests, grasslands, and wooded areas  Most common causes: lightning and human accidents  Burn more than 4 million acres in the U.S. each year

 Choose home locations wisely.  Use fire-resistant materials when building or renovating.  Avoid designs that include wooden decks and patios.  Use non-combustible materials for the roof.  Clear gutters of leaves and debris.

blaze near the Georgia border South Florida