Tornado Strong cyclone (circle) wind Fast rotating columns of air associated with severe thunderstorms. Common in ‘tornado alley’ –Texas panhandle and Oklahoma

Hurricane Huge tropical cyclones that form over an ocean Produces severe rain – can cause flooding Only effects coastal regions

Flood Flashfloods are caused by severe rain storms Effects low elevation areas the most since gravity pulls water downward

Tsunami A giant tidal wave created by an under water earthquake or volcanic eruption Discuss with your neighbor the recent tsunami in Japan tsunamiJapan

Mudslide/LandslideLandslide Downward movement of a large amount of land.

Droughts Lack or severe decrease of rainfall in an area. Can lead to wild fires

Wildfires Large fires often covering many square miles (kilometers) that can burn for many days.

Earthquakes Shaking of the ground caused by the sudden shift in tectonic plates overcoming friction.Shaking

Volcano Cone shaped mountain with a vent through which lava flows.lava

Other Events Copy all the information from this slide. –Meteorite: giant meteor collides with Earth causes debris to rise and block out sunlight for months. How do you think the climate and plants are effected? –9/11: Terrorists attacks destroying structures and killing civilians in the U.S. –Sinkhole: A giant landmass sinking into the ground filling an underground cave that was formed by groundwater dissolving limestone. –Epidemic: Disease spreading rapidly affecting many individuals in an area or a population at the same time. (AIDS, Polio, Influenza) –Oil Spill

Catastrophic Event Reflection 1.Pick tornado, flood, or hurricane… describe how this event could impact an ecosystem. (5 sentence minimum.) 2.Explain why it is not possible for a hurricane to develop in Allen, TX. 3.Is it likely for a tornado to occur in our community? Explain your answer. 4.Give 2 ways a major drought could impact our community? 5.What are the possible reasons for a tsunami to occur? 6.Where and Why does an earthquake take place? 7.Name three additional catastrophic events.

Catastrophic Event Reflection 1.(6) Pick tornado, flood, or hurricane… describe how this event could impact an ecosystem. (5 sentence minimum.) Destruction of habitat (vegetation, homes) Loss of life (animals, plants) Increase in WED Increase in pollution (in watershed) 2.Explain why it is not possible for a hurricane to develop in Allen, TX. b/c need warm ocean and there is not one in or around Allen 3.(2) Is it likely for a tornado to occur in our community? Explain your answer. Yes, close to tornado alley – right conditions for one to develop

Catastrophic Event Reflection 4. (2) Give 2 ways a major drought could impact our community? –animals migrate to find food, –crops/plants die b/c cannot go through photosynthesis –Plants wilt (lack of turgor pressure) –Water restrictions –Famine 5. (2) What are the possible reasons for a tsunami to occur? Underwater earthquake AND underwater volcano eruption 6. (2) Where and Why does an earthquake take place? –Along faults/plate boundaries –Pressure/stress/energy builds as plates try to move bit friction prevents then; energy is released quickly when plates finally slide past one another 7. Name three additional catastrophic events.

Catastrophic Event Reflection 7. (3) Name three additional catastrophic events. (not mentioned above!) –Sinkhole –Sand storm –Avalanche –blizzard –atomic bomb, war, 9/11 –Oil spill –Mud/Rock/Land slide –Deforestation –Forest fire –Volcano