Final Exam Review: Natural Disasters Overview UPDATED ACTUAL and Correct Answers

Final Exam Review: Natural Disasters Overview UPDATED
ACTUAL and Correct Answers
Question: Tropical cyclones
Answer:
Form in warm, humid (mT) air masses.

Question: Eye
Answer:
Center of a hurricane; fair weather due to subsidence and centrifugal focus; lowest pressure.

Question: Eye wall
Answer:
Intense ring of thunderstorms; strongest winds and rain.

Question: Rain bands
Answer:
Thunderstorm lines extending outward from the center of a hurricane.

Question: Storm surge
Answer:
Abnormal rise in sea level; 90% of deaths from hurricanes.

Question: Flood surge
Answer:
Inland push of water during a storm surge.

Question: Ebb surge
Answer:
Outflow of water worsened by runoff during a storm surge.

Question: Violent winds
Answer:
Winds of e 74 mph; may reach 150+ mph; cause structural damage.

Question: Torrential rain
Answer:

, Causes inland flooding; examples include Hurricane Mitch (1998) and Hurricane Alberto
(1994).

Question: Tornadoes
Answer:
Often form as hurricanes weaken; typically weaker than inland tornadoes.

Question: Drainage Basin
Answer:
Area drained by a stream; balance of transport and deposition.

Question: Floodplain
Answer:
Area adjacent to rivers that floods naturally.

Question: Regional Flood
Answer:
Long-term, widespread flooding.

Question: Flash Flood
Answer:
Sudden, localized, fast-rising flooding.

Question: Causes of Floods
Answer:
Include excessive rainfall, rapid snow melt, ice jams, dam/levee failure, and land use
changes.

Question: Flood Effects
Answer:
Economic disruption, infrastructure loss, waterborne disease, and ecological benefits.

Question: Catchment basins
Answer:
Temporary water storage upstream to control floods.

Question: Fire
Answer:
Reduces fuel, returns nutrients, removes weak vegetation, and supports fire-adapted species.