Severe Weather Webquest
Severe Weather: Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Thunderstorms and Blizzards
WEBSITE: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/
Once you get to this site, click on “Tornadoes”
TORNADOES
Step 1: When the number “1” is dark. Read the information about tornadoes in the gray box and answer the following questions. You may have to scroll down to see all of the information.
1. What is a tornado? A column of a violent, rotation of air.
2. Which state has the most twisters per year? How many? Texas, with an occurrence of 120 tornadoes annual.
Step 2: Click on the #2. Read the information in the gray box, and answer the following questions.
1. What are supercells? Large thunderstorms with winds in rotation.
2. Where do most tornadoes in America occur? Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, Texas, Nebraska, Indiana and Arkansas.
3. Why do most tornadoes occur in the late afternoon? The atmosphere and the surface of the earth has been already heated by the sun.
Click on the “next” button to zoom in to see a tornado.
4. When do tornadoes form? Once dry, cold and meets with moist, warm air.
5. What is an updraft? Warm air being pushed over by the dense, cooler air mass, thus rising through the colder air.
6. Why would it start to rotate? If the winds vary in direction and speed.
7. Before the storm turns into a tornado, what type of cloud does it become? A funnel cloud.
Step 3: Click on the #3. Read the information in the gray box, and answer the following questions.
1. What type of weather accompanies tornadoes? Thunderstorms and high winds.
Click on “see tornado damage at the bottom of the text.
2. How does the Fujita scale measure tornado intensity? The damage of the tornado must be analyzed and compared to the speed of winds.
Move around the Fujita scale to see the effects tornadoes of different intensities have.
Click on the #4 to see a video of a tornado passing.
Click on the #5 to answer the following question. You will have to scroll down to answer the question.
1. What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning? A tornado watch is when the condition of weather in an area is adequate enough to form a tornado. Tornado warnings is when a tornado has been spotted.
Click on #6 to make a tornado.
1. What conditions are perfect for making a tornado? Cold, dry air mixing with warm, moist air. The pressure must also begin to fall.
HURRICANES
Now, you are moving on to “hurricanes.” Click on the hurricane symbol above the numbers, and begin.
1. How many mph must winds be going in order for a tropical storm to be a hurricane? At least 74 miles per hour.
2. Where do hurricanes form? The east Pacific Ocean, or the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Where do cyclones form? They form over the northern Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.
4. Where do typhoons form? The western Pacific.
Click on #2, and read the information. Click the “next” button when you are done.
1. Does the eye of the hurricane have HIGH or LOW pressure? Low pressure.
2. Where are the most violent winds in the hurricane? The eye wall.
Click on the #3.
1. In the northern hemisphere, hurricanes always turn how? Counterclockwise.
2. In the southern hemisphere, they always turn how? Clockwise.
Play with the image of the hurricane to see a 3-D image.
Click on the #4.
1. All of the rain from hurricanes can cause what to occur? Landslides, flash floods and floods.
2. What is a storm surge? The most hazardous part of the hurricane; the rise of sea level.
Click on the #5.
Read the information, and watch the video.
Click on the #6.
1. What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning? A hurricane watch, is when a hurricane can pose as a possible threat. A hurricane warning is when in 24 hours, a hurricane is likely to hit.
Click on the #7.
Create 5 hurricanes.
1. Which one creates the most damage? What factors? Number 4. The ocean temperature must be warmer, high humidity. Low pressure must occur.
2. Which one creates the least damage? What factors? Number 1. The temperature of the ocean must be warm with high humidity in the atmosphere, with also low pressure.
THUNDERSTORMS
Go to http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tstorms/ingredient.htm
1. List the 3 ingredients necessary for a thunderstorm. Moisture, instability and an uplifting mechanism.
2. Click on “Life cycle of a Thunderstorm”. Take notes on each of the three stages.
- Towering Cumulus Stage- Forms vertically, is overcame by updrafts, has some turbulent edges.
- Mature Cumulus Stage- Has strong updrafts, most dangerous stage.
- Dissipating Stage- Updraft is cut off by down draft, runs out of warm, moist air, produces light rain.
3. What are some of the potential hazards of thunderstorms? It could cause flash flooding, damaging winds and hail.
BLIZZARDS
Go to http://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htm
What does it mean if each of the following is issued:
Winter Storm Watch- For the next two or so days, and and heavy snow will occur,
Winter Storm Warning- Staying indoors is advised, severe weather conditions have started.
WEBSITE: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/
Once you get to this site, click on “Tornadoes”
TORNADOES
Step 1: When the number “1” is dark. Read the information about tornadoes in the gray box and answer the following questions. You may have to scroll down to see all of the information.
1. What is a tornado? A column of a violent, rotation of air.
2. Which state has the most twisters per year? How many? Texas, with an occurrence of 120 tornadoes annual.
Step 2: Click on the #2. Read the information in the gray box, and answer the following questions.
1. What are supercells? Large thunderstorms with winds in rotation.
2. Where do most tornadoes in America occur? Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, Texas, Nebraska, Indiana and Arkansas.
3. Why do most tornadoes occur in the late afternoon? The atmosphere and the surface of the earth has been already heated by the sun.
Click on the “next” button to zoom in to see a tornado.
4. When do tornadoes form? Once dry, cold and meets with moist, warm air.
5. What is an updraft? Warm air being pushed over by the dense, cooler air mass, thus rising through the colder air.
6. Why would it start to rotate? If the winds vary in direction and speed.
7. Before the storm turns into a tornado, what type of cloud does it become? A funnel cloud.
Step 3: Click on the #3. Read the information in the gray box, and answer the following questions.
1. What type of weather accompanies tornadoes? Thunderstorms and high winds.
Click on “see tornado damage at the bottom of the text.
2. How does the Fujita scale measure tornado intensity? The damage of the tornado must be analyzed and compared to the speed of winds.
Move around the Fujita scale to see the effects tornadoes of different intensities have.
Click on the #4 to see a video of a tornado passing.
Click on the #5 to answer the following question. You will have to scroll down to answer the question.
1. What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning? A tornado watch is when the condition of weather in an area is adequate enough to form a tornado. Tornado warnings is when a tornado has been spotted.
Click on #6 to make a tornado.
1. What conditions are perfect for making a tornado? Cold, dry air mixing with warm, moist air. The pressure must also begin to fall.
HURRICANES
Now, you are moving on to “hurricanes.” Click on the hurricane symbol above the numbers, and begin.
1. How many mph must winds be going in order for a tropical storm to be a hurricane? At least 74 miles per hour.
2. Where do hurricanes form? The east Pacific Ocean, or the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Where do cyclones form? They form over the northern Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.
4. Where do typhoons form? The western Pacific.
Click on #2, and read the information. Click the “next” button when you are done.
1. Does the eye of the hurricane have HIGH or LOW pressure? Low pressure.
2. Where are the most violent winds in the hurricane? The eye wall.
Click on the #3.
1. In the northern hemisphere, hurricanes always turn how? Counterclockwise.
2. In the southern hemisphere, they always turn how? Clockwise.
Play with the image of the hurricane to see a 3-D image.
Click on the #4.
1. All of the rain from hurricanes can cause what to occur? Landslides, flash floods and floods.
2. What is a storm surge? The most hazardous part of the hurricane; the rise of sea level.
Click on the #5.
Read the information, and watch the video.
Click on the #6.
1. What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning? A hurricane watch, is when a hurricane can pose as a possible threat. A hurricane warning is when in 24 hours, a hurricane is likely to hit.
Click on the #7.
Create 5 hurricanes.
1. Which one creates the most damage? What factors? Number 4. The ocean temperature must be warmer, high humidity. Low pressure must occur.
2. Which one creates the least damage? What factors? Number 1. The temperature of the ocean must be warm with high humidity in the atmosphere, with also low pressure.
THUNDERSTORMS
Go to http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tstorms/ingredient.htm
1. List the 3 ingredients necessary for a thunderstorm. Moisture, instability and an uplifting mechanism.
2. Click on “Life cycle of a Thunderstorm”. Take notes on each of the three stages.
- Towering Cumulus Stage- Forms vertically, is overcame by updrafts, has some turbulent edges.
- Mature Cumulus Stage- Has strong updrafts, most dangerous stage.
- Dissipating Stage- Updraft is cut off by down draft, runs out of warm, moist air, produces light rain.
3. What are some of the potential hazards of thunderstorms? It could cause flash flooding, damaging winds and hail.
BLIZZARDS
Go to http://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htm
- How does the National Weather Service define a blizzard? Severe storms in the winter months, blows snow and wind, resulting in low visibility.
- List some of the dangers of blizzards. The strong winds and harsh, cold temperatures.
- What do we call a blizzard that moves up the east coast from the Mid-Atlantic to New England? A Nor'easter
- Scroll down to “Keep Ahead of the Storm”
What does it mean if each of the following is issued:
Winter Storm Watch- For the next two or so days, and and heavy snow will occur,
Winter Storm Warning- Staying indoors is advised, severe weather conditions have started.
Acid Rain Questions
Acid Rain in the U.S. Air Pollution Virtual Lab Objectives: Define acid rain and describe its causes. Test the pH of rainwater samples and plot the information on a map of the United States. Describe the relationship between the occurrences of acid rain and sulfur dioxide emissions in the United States.
Procedure:
1. Access the following link: http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/CT11/CT11.html
2. Read the information on the left of the screen to answer the Prelab questions below.
3. Now that you know more about acid rain, you are ready to collect some data! Click a Test Tube Holder to select a set of test tubes to test. Click a Test Tube to test the pH of the water sample.
4. Enter the state's pH value into the map. To do this, click a state, then click the color in the legend that corresponds to the state's pH value. If you do not have a printer, record the pH values and SO2 values for each state on the attached map. (Use the color key on the right side of the map to identify the pH of states that have already been tested. There is no data for Alaska or Hawaii.)
5. Repeat steps 1-3 for all the states' rainwater samples then use your data to answer questions #7-12 below.
Prelab Questions:
1. What is acid rain? Precipitation that is more acidic than normal rain.
2. How is it formed? Dissolved carbon dioxide that the atmosphere has captured.
3. How does acid rain affect the environment? The acid rain chemically reacts with other chemical, oxygen and water, forming mild sulfuric acid. It harms marine life, vegetation, and is also hazardous to human life.
4. Besides the effect on the environment, does acid rain has any other harmful effects? It can cause respiratory difficulties.
5. What two air pollutants are associated with the formation of acid rain? Sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides.
6. What are the sources of these air pollutants? They are both spewed out into the air by vehicles and the burning of fossil fuels.
Data Analysis:
7. According to your pH test result, where in the U.S. is acid rain most severe? The north eastern part of the U.S.
8. Sulfur dioxide is the main air pollutant associated with acid rain.
9. Which state in the U.S. release the most sulfur dioxide annually? Pennsylvania.
Conclusion:
10. Based on your analysis, is there a relationship between a state's sulfur dioxide emissions and the average pH of its rain water?
11. How might you explain the fact that Vermont and New Hampshire, states with very low sulfur dioxide emission, experience acid levels that are among the most severe in the country?
12. Discuss at least three possible ways to reduce acid rain. Cut back on vehicle emissions by carpooling, or riding a bike more often! Reduce the burning of fossil fuels and coal.
Procedure:
1. Access the following link: http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/CT11/CT11.html
2. Read the information on the left of the screen to answer the Prelab questions below.
3. Now that you know more about acid rain, you are ready to collect some data! Click a Test Tube Holder to select a set of test tubes to test. Click a Test Tube to test the pH of the water sample.
4. Enter the state's pH value into the map. To do this, click a state, then click the color in the legend that corresponds to the state's pH value. If you do not have a printer, record the pH values and SO2 values for each state on the attached map. (Use the color key on the right side of the map to identify the pH of states that have already been tested. There is no data for Alaska or Hawaii.)
5. Repeat steps 1-3 for all the states' rainwater samples then use your data to answer questions #7-12 below.
Prelab Questions:
1. What is acid rain? Precipitation that is more acidic than normal rain.
2. How is it formed? Dissolved carbon dioxide that the atmosphere has captured.
3. How does acid rain affect the environment? The acid rain chemically reacts with other chemical, oxygen and water, forming mild sulfuric acid. It harms marine life, vegetation, and is also hazardous to human life.
4. Besides the effect on the environment, does acid rain has any other harmful effects? It can cause respiratory difficulties.
5. What two air pollutants are associated with the formation of acid rain? Sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides.
6. What are the sources of these air pollutants? They are both spewed out into the air by vehicles and the burning of fossil fuels.
Data Analysis:
7. According to your pH test result, where in the U.S. is acid rain most severe? The north eastern part of the U.S.
8. Sulfur dioxide is the main air pollutant associated with acid rain.
9. Which state in the U.S. release the most sulfur dioxide annually? Pennsylvania.
Conclusion:
10. Based on your analysis, is there a relationship between a state's sulfur dioxide emissions and the average pH of its rain water?
11. How might you explain the fact that Vermont and New Hampshire, states with very low sulfur dioxide emission, experience acid levels that are among the most severe in the country?
12. Discuss at least three possible ways to reduce acid rain. Cut back on vehicle emissions by carpooling, or riding a bike more often! Reduce the burning of fossil fuels and coal.
Climate Guided Notes
Section 14.1 What is Climate?
1. Define climatology. The study of climate and how the past, present, and future will be climatically affected.
2. What factors does climate include in addition to average weather conditions? Temperature, wind, precipitation.
3. Give two examples of how climatic data can be used. Indicates warm and cold weather, and to help people who have medical conditions to locate in a certain area due to conditions of climate.
4. Why must we exercise caution when using normals to predict weather?
5. What factors cause climate?
6. Why are coastal areas cooler in the summer than inland areas?
7. Describe the relationship between temperature and altitude.
8. Figure 14-3 depicts what effect of orographic lifting that we discussed last Friday? (HINT: return to those notes!)
Section 14.2 Climate Classification
1. Name the system used to classify climates. What factors does it consider?
2. List the six main climate types.
3. What climate type do we live in? List its characteristics.
4. What is a microclimate? Give an example.
5. What is the heat island effect and where does it occur?
Guiding Questions: Climate Notes
Section 14.1 What is Climate?
1. Define climatology.
2. What factors does climate include in addition to average weather conditions?
3. Give two examples of how climatic data can be used.
4. Why must we exercise caution when using normals to predict weather?
5. What factors cause climate?
6. Why are coastal areas cooler in the summer than inland areas?
7. Describe the relationship between temperature and altitude.
8. Figure 14-3 depicts what effect of orographic lifting that we discussed last Friday? (HINT: return to those notes!)
Section 14.2 Climate Classification
1. Name the system used to classify climates. What factors does it consider?
2. List the six main climate types.
3. What climate type do we live in? List its characteristics.
4. What is a microclimate? Give an example.
5. What is the heat island effect and where does it occur?
1. Define climatology. The study of climate and how the past, present, and future will be climatically affected.
2. What factors does climate include in addition to average weather conditions? Temperature, wind, precipitation.
3. Give two examples of how climatic data can be used. Indicates warm and cold weather, and to help people who have medical conditions to locate in a certain area due to conditions of climate.
4. Why must we exercise caution when using normals to predict weather?
5. What factors cause climate?
6. Why are coastal areas cooler in the summer than inland areas?
7. Describe the relationship between temperature and altitude.
8. Figure 14-3 depicts what effect of orographic lifting that we discussed last Friday? (HINT: return to those notes!)
Section 14.2 Climate Classification
1. Name the system used to classify climates. What factors does it consider?
2. List the six main climate types.
3. What climate type do we live in? List its characteristics.
4. What is a microclimate? Give an example.
5. What is the heat island effect and where does it occur?
Guiding Questions: Climate Notes
Section 14.1 What is Climate?
1. Define climatology.
2. What factors does climate include in addition to average weather conditions?
3. Give two examples of how climatic data can be used.
4. Why must we exercise caution when using normals to predict weather?
5. What factors cause climate?
6. Why are coastal areas cooler in the summer than inland areas?
7. Describe the relationship between temperature and altitude.
8. Figure 14-3 depicts what effect of orographic lifting that we discussed last Friday? (HINT: return to those notes!)
Section 14.2 Climate Classification
1. Name the system used to classify climates. What factors does it consider?
2. List the six main climate types.
3. What climate type do we live in? List its characteristics.
4. What is a microclimate? Give an example.
5. What is the heat island effect and where does it occur?
Climate Change Webquest
Directions- Go to: climate.nasa.gov and using the information of the website, answer the following questions. Write your answers in the space provided.
Key Indicators
1) What is carbon dioxide (CO2) and where does it usually come from?
2) According to the CO2 charts, what was the highest level of CO2 in the 400,000 years prior to 1950?
3) According to the charts, what is the level of CO2 today?
4) Based on the information on the page, why is this level of CO2 a problem?
5) According to the charts on Arctic Sea Ice, what has been the overall trend since 1980?
6) What trend can be observed for land ice?
7) What trend can be observed for sea level?
8) What overall conclusion can you make based on the data of these three charts?
Evidence
9) What are eight areas that scientists look at for evidence of global warming?
Causes
10) What are the five common gases that cause global warming?
Effects
11) According to the effects page, what effect will climate change have on water availability?
12) What visible changes have already occurred due to climate chan
Consensus
13) What percentage of scientists agree that climate change is due to human activity?
Innovations
14) Describe three innovations in energy that could help the world become independent of fossil fuels.
Key Indicators
1) What is carbon dioxide (CO2) and where does it usually come from?
2) According to the CO2 charts, what was the highest level of CO2 in the 400,000 years prior to 1950?
3) According to the charts, what is the level of CO2 today?
4) Based on the information on the page, why is this level of CO2 a problem?
5) According to the charts on Arctic Sea Ice, what has been the overall trend since 1980?
6) What trend can be observed for land ice?
7) What trend can be observed for sea level?
8) What overall conclusion can you make based on the data of these three charts?
Evidence
9) What are eight areas that scientists look at for evidence of global warming?
Causes
10) What are the five common gases that cause global warming?
Effects
11) According to the effects page, what effect will climate change have on water availability?
12) What visible changes have already occurred due to climate chan
Consensus
13) What percentage of scientists agree that climate change is due to human activity?
Innovations
14) Describe three innovations in energy that could help the world become independent of fossil fuels.