williamedwards.org.uk€¦ · Web viewThe UK does occasionally get battered by strong winds. Sometimes the remnants of hurricanes travel over the Atlantic from the USA and Caribbean

Name _______________________ W.G __________

Year 9 Weather & Climate Work booklet 3

Keywords to be learned for this unit of work

Advanced – 20 words to learn Intermediate – 15 words to learn Foundation – 10 words to learn

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Economic impact ProtectionEnvironmental impact Secondary effectsImmediate responses Social impactExtreme weather Tropical stormLong-term responses AdaptationManagement strategies MitigationMonitoring Climate changePlanning Quaternary period Prediction Orbital changesPrimary effects Solar outputGreenhouse gases Global Atmospheric Circulation

Lesson 9 – Is the UK weather becoming more extreme?

Learning Objectives-• To understand the evidence for and against extreme weather becoming more

common in the UK.

Activity 1-

Can you define what is meant by the term extreme weather?

Use these keywords to help structure your definition:

Climate Average patterns injury damage unexpected severe losses

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In the table below, list the immediate responses in the first column and the long-term responses into the second column.

Activity 2-

A weather even is classed as ‘extreme’ when it falls outside of expected or normal climatic conditions, and has the potential to cause severe social or economic losses.

Some well-known examples of UK extreme weather include:

Extreme cold and blizzards in March 2018. Beast from the East, businesses lost a combined £300 million over four days according to financial analysts.

Heatwaves: 2003. ‘Hottest day in history’ on Sunday 10th August, temperatures hit37.9◦C. 2000 deaths were linked to this event in the UK.

The summer of 2007. The ‘wettest on record’, 414mm fell between June and August.

Follow the following link https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-of-the-worst-weather-events-that-shook-britain/zfk2kmn . List 5 of the examples of extreme weather below.

1. Year………… Extreme weather example …………………………………………………………………………………….………………..............




5. Year………… Extreme weather example …………………………………………………………………………………….………………..............2

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-of-the-worst-weather-events-that-shook-britain/zfk2kmn

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-of-the-worst-weather-events-that-shook-britain/zfk2kmn

Activity 3-

Follow this link to analyse the BBC bar chart, entitled UK Rainfall since 2004’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7446721.stm

Answer the following questions on rainfall patterns for the period 2004-2007.

1. In which year did we see the most monthly rainfall events exceeding 150% of climatic averages? ……………………

2. Which year saw the lowest overall rainfall? ……………………

3. Describe the trend in rainfall from June 2006 onwards (refer to graph data and any anomalies you might see).

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4. In your opinion, does this rainfall data show evidence of increasing extreme weather events in the UK? Justify your opinion with at least two reasons.

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5. Discuss the following statement. 'Extreme weather is becoming more common in the UK'

A helpful hint for Intermediate students: Explain two pieces of evidence to support the statement, then explain two pieces of evidence that are against this view. Sum up/conclude briefly by stating your own opinion.Foundation students: Remember to look back at your notes & examples from this lesson to support your answer.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7446721.stm

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Learning Objectives-• To understand the evidence for and against extreme weather becoming more

common in the UK.

Activity 1-

Brainstorm in a circle map all the different types of weather hazards you can think of in the UK

Activity 2 -

Using the Extreme Weather Resource Sheet on page 6, you need to complete the table on page 5.

State the example of extreme weather hazard in the UK and then list key facts in the spaces below.

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UK weather hazards

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UK weather hazards

THUNDERSTORMS

PROLONGED RAINFALL

DROUGHT AND EXTREME HEAT

HEAVY SNOW & EXTREME COLD

STRONG WINDS

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In July 2014 dramatic electrical storms resulted in 3000 lightning strikes across Southern

Britain following a period of hot

weather.

Torrential rainfall associated with

thunderstorms can result in sudden

‘flash’ flooding as happened in

Boscastle in Cornwall in 2004

Persistent rainfall over a long period can lead to river floods. This is common in the UK especially during the late winter and early spring when snowmelt makes the problem worse.

During the very wet winter of 2014 flooding was widespread across much of southern England.

The UK has experienced long spells of dry, hot weather resulting in drought. Rivers can dry up and reservoirs become dangerously low, which affects water supplies and wildlife. Very high temperatures – heatwaves – can be dangerous to frail and elderly people.

In 2003 much of Europe suffered the most extreme heatwave for 500 years. Over 20,000 people died, and several countries including the UK recorded their highest ever temperatures.

Long periods of severe winter weather have become less common in recent years, but there are occasions when heavy snow and severe cold can cause great hardship to people particularly in the north of the UK.

Activity 3 -

Why does extreme weather occur in the UK?

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The UK does occasionally get battered by strong winds. Sometimes the remnants of hurricanes travel over the Atlantic from the USA and Caribbean. These can cause disruption to power supplies and damage from fallen trees. Read about the strong winds that hit Wales in February 2014 below.

There was widespread disruption to road and rail networks, leaving 21,000 people without power, as strong winds continued to batter the UK this week. Electricity supplies were affected in South Wales, the south-west and the West Midlands. Wind speeds of up to 105mph were recorded in Aberdaron in north-west Wales, with gusts of 92mph recorded on the Gower Peninsula, south-west Wales. The Met Office has warned that coastal areas of the UK could be battered by large waves. Clifton suspension bridge on Bristol

was closed briefly for the first time ever because of high winds,

1. (Foundation) Describe two types of weather hazard that could affect the UK. [4

marks]

(Advanced and Intermediate students)- Explain why the UK receives such extreme weather, providing examples.

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The UK is rather like a roundabout because it is at the meeting point of several different types of weather from different directions.

This explains why we experience such varied weather from week to week and how occasionally we can be affected by extreme weather events.

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Learning Objectives-• To be able to provide evidence and examples of how the UK weather is

becoming more extreme.

Activity 1-

Draw a timeline to describe the extreme weather events in the UK since 2000.

2007- Several people died and many were left homeless by

summer floods affecting Hull, Sheffield and Gloucestershire.

2003- The UK recorded its highest ever temperature of 38.5⁰C in

Kent. Over 2000 people died due to heat, railway tracks buckled

and in places he roads melted.

2015/16- Severe storms and exceptionally heavy rainfall cause

devastating floods to many areas, especially the north of England.

Yorkshire and Cumbria were badly affected. December 2015 was

he wettest and warmest month ever recorded in the UK.

2010- Much of the UK was hit by heavy snowfalls in December.

Northern Ireland recorded a record low temperature of -18.7⁰C at

Castleberg.

2008- Severe flooding occurred in south-west and north-east

England with Somerset, Worcestershire and Northumberland

badly hit.

2009- Parts of south-west and south-east England were affected by

heavy snow with 20cm falling in the capital.

2013/14- Severe flooding occurred across southern England 2009- The town of Cockermouth in Cumbria was devastated by

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causing the River Thames to burst its banks and vast areas of the

Somerset Levels to become inundated, it was England’s wettest

winter 250 years.

floods. Record rainfall amounts fell in November in the Lake

District.

Your timeline of UK extreme weather

Activity 2-

What UK weather records have been broken by extreme weather events since 2000?

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Activity 3-

Newspapers sometimes blame an individual extreme weather event on climate change. Why is this misleading?

Recent extreme weather events have also occurred elsewhere in the world. There have been devastating floods in Pakistan (2010), intense heat waves in Russia (2010) and severe droughts in Western USA (2014).

No single extreme weather event can be blamed on climate change. However, scientists believe that a trend over many years could be linked to a warming world.

• More energy in the atmosphere could lead to more intense storms.

• The atmospheric circulation may be affected, bringing floods to normally dry regions and heat waves to normally cooler areas.

In 2011 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that extreme weather would become more common as global warming heats the planet.

Why is this misleading?

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INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED STUDENTS

How does this image link to the idea that UK weather is becoming more extreme?

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Read the following

Weather systems cross the UK mainly from west to east, driven by winds from the jet stream. The jet stream moves north and south but can ‘stick’ in one position, resulting in a long period of the same type of weather, such as heavy rain or drought. A large area of high pressure over Northern Europe can block the easterly movement of weather systems and have a similar effect on UK weather.

In 2014 scientists in Germany published a report. It suggested that in recent years, weather patterns have become ‘stuck’ for long periods of time. This has resulted in prolonged periods of high temperatures (heat waves and droughts) and heavy rain (floods).

These periods seem to have become more frequent in recent years and this could be due to climate change. A warming Arctic, for example, may slow down the atmospheric circulation in the northern hemisphere and mid-latitudes resulting in the weather ‘sticking’ for long periods of time. This could explain the recent heat waves and floods.

Activity 4-

Imagine you’re a journalist writing an article about extreme weather in the UK since January 2014

• What happened and what were the impacts?

• How have these events- along with others since 2000- been linked with climate change?

Foundation students: You need to describe UK weather events in your article.

Intermediate students: You need to explain UK weather event in your article.

Advanced students: You need to explain why and how UK weather events are changing in the UK.

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………………………………………………………….…………………..……………………………NOW COMPLETE YOUR ASSESSMENT

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williamedwards.org.uk€¦ · Web viewThe UK does occasionally get battered by strong winds. Sometimes the remnants of hurricanes travel over the Atlantic from the USA and Caribbean