1. What are some observations you can make about what has happened in these photos? What questions do you have? How could you explain what has happened?

2. What do all these pictures have in common?

3. Recent Natural Hazards:
Hurricane Harvey
Earthquake in Mexico (magnitude 8.1)
Hurricane Irma

4. September 9, 2017
coast-of-southern-mexico/index.html

5. Natural Hazards
An event that occurs in nature that has the potential to cause harm to humans or their property.

6. Natural hazards are events that occurs because of the geology or atmospheric weather of that area.
Atmospheric (weather) Hazards
Geologic Hazards
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Landslides
Sinkholes
Rock falls
Tornadoes Hurricanes Flooding Avalanches Blizzards windstorms
Which of these can be predicted and planned for?

7. How do meteorologists predict a tornado?
Mass of cold air collides with mass of warm air
Usually on very flat ground and frequent thunderstorms

8. Tools meteorologists can use to predict tornadoes:
Doppler radar: bounces radio waves off objects like clouds to determine their location, movement, and intensity

9. How do meteorologists predict a hurricane?
Form over oceans in the warm, moist tropics and then move north with the prevailing winds.

10. Tools meteorologists can use to predict hurricanes:
Satellite images (visual)
Satellite images (infrared heat)

11. Can scientists predict earthquakes?
It is a difficult thing to do.
Utah is covered in faults, what does this mean?

12. Building Designs that help withstand earthquakes:
Anchors to tie buildings to bedrock
Buildings have brackets to hold them together and help them bend and sway in an earthquake.
Houses and buildings made of wood and steel are better than ones made of brick, stone, and adobe, which are brittle and will crack and break.

13. Why aren’t all structures in zones at risk for natural disasters constructed for maximum safety?

14. Sturdy structures are much more expensive
Why aren’t all structures in zones at risk for natural disasters constructed for maximum safety?
Cost
Sturdy structures are much more expensive
Communities must weigh the cost and benefit
How likely are you to have a natural disaster?

15. Warning systems and devices
Tsunami buoys are placed far out into the ocean to measure waves. When they detect a tsunami approaching, they send out a warning to coastal areas so they can evacuate and prepare
Many communities have warning systems that broadcast over television, radio, and cell phones ,or using a siren

16. Other precautions to keep people safe in a natural hazard.
Avalanche control: when snow is unstable and built up on mountain ridges, it can fall and cause an avalanche.
Technicians will clear the people out of an area and blast the snow with small explosions to trigger avalanches intentionally.