High Pressure systems.

Characteristics and hazard impacts.

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  • Created by: Ellie
  • Created on: 31-05-12 19:11

Characteristics of a high pressure system.

  • Large area of slow moving air.
  • High pressure as air is sinking.
  • Temperature inversion is caused as the warming air sinks. 
  • The air sinks so coloud cannot form clouds, therefore clear skies. 
  • Light winds blow outwards, usually clockwise in the Northern hemipshere.
  • High pressure usually end with thunderstorms, when uplift overcomes temperature inversion. 
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Environmental hazards.

  • damage to ecosystems through drought, fires, heat and frost.
  • trees loose their leaves as a result of drought. 
  • frost kills seedlings and buds so they are unable to reproduce.
  • trees wilt in the heat with the need for more water. 
  • heat bakes the ground in a drought, so when it rains, flash floods occur.
  • rivers and lakes dry up.
  • sunsidence occurs: soils dry up and shrink. 
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Social hazards.

  • health is poor due to heat, cold, fog and/or high pollen count.
  • heat stroke occurs.
  • Heat and cold damaging to buildings and houses.
  • frost and fog can causes accidents and poor driving conditions. 
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Economic hazards.

  • frost and hot dry weather can kills off crops for farming.
  • fires and droughts occuring in forestry areas.
  • transport links can have issues with poor driving conditions and heat melting rails and roads.
  • water shortages an cause problems for industry practices and power. 
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Hazards resulting.

  • Frost. occurs in anticylconic winters, ploar continental.
  • Fog. occurs especially in the autumn, polar air masses in the summer over the warm land.
  • Droughts. tropical continental. 
  • Heatwaves. Tropical air masses.
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