Nature of tropical storms and their underlying causes: forms of storm hazard including high winds, storm surges, coastal flooding, river flooding and landslides
Tropical storms are powerful spinning weather systems that form over warm oceans. They generate several distinct hazards — including violent winds, flooding and landslides — each caused by different parts of the storm.
Real World
When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005, its Category 4 winds caused widespread destruction, but it was the 8-metre storm surge that breached the levees and flooded 80% of the city, killing over 1,800 people — illustrating that storm surge is often the deadliest hazard, not the wind.
Exam Focus
Name each hazard type separately and explain its distinct mechanism; conflating storm surge with coastal flooding costs marks on 'explain' questions.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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