Meteorological Hazards Research Articles

The down-faulted basin zone and high disaster risk zone in Shanxi Province, China

Shanxi Province is a region with frequent occurrence of earthquakes, floods and waterlogging, meteorological and geologic hazards, and agrobiohazards in China. The study shows that the formation and development of the down-faulted basin zone in Shanxi Province provides an available condition for preparation and occurrence of these hazards, so that the basin zone becomes an area with frequent ocurrence of the hazards, such as earthquakes, floods and waterlogging, meteorological and geologic hazards and agrobiohazards in Shanxi and with their most serious interaction and mutual intensification. Moreover, the basin zone is an area with dense population and most concentrated industrial and agricultural productions and social-economic property in Shanxi. The comprehensive effect of the two factors caused the zone to be a high natural disaster risk area in Shanxi. For reduction of natural disasters and ensuring the sustainable social-economic development in Shanxi, it is necessary to regard the basin zone as an important area for disaster reduction in Shanxi and to carry out integrated disaster reduction.

Damage Evaluation of Agro-meteorological Hazards in the Maize-Growing Region of Songliao Plain, China: Case Study of Lishu County of Jilin Province

Agro-meteorological hazards such as drought, waterlogging and cool summer occur with very high frequency and affect maize production and social-economic development in the maize-growing region of Songliao Plain, China. Moreover, both the frequency of these hazards and loss from them are considered to be increasing with global warming. The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively analyze the relationships between the fluctuation of maize yield and drought, waterlogging and cool summer, and to evaluate the consequences of these hazards in the maize-growing area of Songliao Plain, taking Lishu county as a case study area based on GIS (Geographic Information System). Crop yield-climate analysis and regression analysis were employed to analyze and quantify relationships between the fluctuation of maize yield and drought, waterlogging and cool summer, and to evaluate the consequences of these hazards. The parameters and model of damage evaluation were presented using weighted comprehensive analysis, and the degree of damage of drought, waterlogging and cool summer to maize production was comprehensively evaluated and regionalized. It is shown that from 1949 to 1990, the negative value years of the fluctuation of maize yield due to meteorological hazards accounted for 55% of seasons, of which 14% was caused by drought, 30% by waterlogging, 4% by cool summer and drought, 9% by cool summer and waterlogging, 13% by drought and waterlogging, 30% by drought, waterlogging and cool summer. Studies on the instability and spatial variation of the fluctuations in maize yield in Lishu county showed that the middle plains are stable areas to climatic influence, while southeastern hills and low mountains, the low lands of the plains along the East Liao River and the western plain are unstable areas in terms of areas in maize yield. The synthetic index of the degree of damage to maize of drought, waterlogging and cool summer showed a strong positive correlation with the ratio of the amount damaged to the normal yield of maize. This suggests that this index can be used to evaluate such damage. The degree of damage of drought, waterlogging and cool summer to maize in Lishu county shows the regional characteristics, which increase gradually from the center to the west and east, this being almost identical with the spatial distribution of the fluctuation of maize yield due to these hazards. This study can be expected to provide the basis for developing strategies to mitigate agro-meteorological hazards and reducing the losses from them, and adjust the medium and long-term distribution of agricultural activities so as to adapt to environmental changes.

Le programme international MAP et sa contribution à l'hydrologie

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image sizeThe field experiment of the Mesoscale Alpine Programme took place from 7 September to 15 November 1999 in the Alps, with a strong french participation. The objectives were to improve basic knowledge on processes generating high meteorological hazards in mountain, such as heavy rainfall, strong valley winds, and altitude turbulence. Another objective was to test the new generation of high resolution numerical atmospheric models. The field campaign benefited from an excellent cooperation between the numerous scientists involved from many nations, and also from exceptional weather conditions. Almost all experimental objectives could be reached. The hydrologic contribution to MAP was significant, especially in Italy. Several hydrological models forced by radar data or output from meteorological models, were run in quasi-real time. An experimental subprogram for hydrology was conducted, comprising in situ soil moisture measurements, soil moisture estimation by micro-wave from helicopter missions, special stream and rain-gages, and acquisition of data from hydro-electric reservoirs. This dataset will allow to qualify the actual capacity of coupled systems to predict major floods in the Alpine area.

Air Quality as a Meteorological Hazard

Meteorological hazards are usually considered to be tropical cyclones, droughts, hail-storms, severe storms and their effects such as tsunamis, storm surges, wildfire, and floods. Urban air pollution is not normally considered to be a meteorological hazard. This view has arisen because the causes of urban air pollution – industrial and motor vehicleemissions – are not meteorological in nature. Air pollution episodes, however, are sporadic in nature and their occurrence depends on a particular combination of meteorological factors. This is true even in megacities such as Mexico City, Manila, and Los Angeles that have acquired a reputation for polluted air. Analyses of air pollution episodes and hospital admissions from many countries indicate that thereis a significant increase in morbidity and mortality as a result of such episodes.Time-series studies undertaken in Sydney have shown that particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide are the pollutants that are primarily responsible for adverse health effects in that city. Air pollution, and in particular particulate matter, is believed to be responsible for just under 400 premature deaths per year in Sydney alone. This death rate is over twenty times larger than deaths due to other meteorological hazards. Part of the reason for the low death rate for the more traditional meteorological hazards is that the provision of high quality numerical weather prediction, coupled with modern communications technology, has enabled emergency service personnel to take appropriate action. Air quality forecasting systems can play an important role in mitigating the adverse effects of air pollution. The forecasts will affect the behaviour of susceptible individuals, and thus reduce adverse health effects. The outputs from forecasting systems can also be used to provide improved estimates of the total exposure to air pollutants of the inhabitants who areat risk. Such improved estimates can then be used in conjunction with longitudinal studies ofhealth effects to obtain better understanding of the complex interaction between air quality and health.

Developments in aviation forecasting in the UK

AbstractThe main developments in aviation forecasting over the 50 years up to 1985 are summarised. The importance of subsequent increasing Regional and World Area Forecasting commitments at the UK Meteorological Office is stressed, along with a demonstration of the more recent advances in forecasting low‐level and middle/upper‐level significant weather, respectively. Meteorological hazards requiring warnings (e.g. SIGMETS) and current aviation forecast output are considered, along with a glance into the future, cautioning that the trend towards fully automated products may be hindered by slower improvements in some aspects of model technology such as derived‐field forecasts of fog and low cloud. Copyright © 1998 Royal Meteorological Society

Natural Hazards and Disaster Information on the Internet

This article describes various materials on the World Wide Web that can be effectively utilized in courses on natural hazards and physical geography. Specific Internet addresses are provided for teachers who wish to access various hazard warnings, satellite images, hazard vulnerability maps, reports, and other data concerning geophysical, hydrologic, and meteorological hazards. Suggested strategies for classroom use of this information are also provided. References are made to previous articles in the Journal of Geography that can provide guidance for teachers using the abundant hazards data accessible via the Internet.

Deaths in Natural Hazards in the Solomon Islands

Archival and library search techniques have been used to establish extensive databases on deaths and damage resulting from natural hazards in the Solomon Islands. Although the records of fatalities are certainly incomplete, volcanic eruptions, tropical cyclones, landslides, tsunami and earthquakes appear to have been the most important. Only 22 per cent of the recorded deaths have resulted from meteorological hazards but a single event could change this proportion significantly. Five events in the fatality database account for 88 per cent of the recorded deaths. Future death tolls are also likely to be dominated by a small number of events. While the expected number of deaths in a given period is dependent upon the length of record considered, it is clear that a disaster which kills one hundred or more people in the Solomons can be expected more frequently than once in a hundred years.

Eventos El Niño y lluvias anormales en la costa del Perú: siglos XVI-XIX

El Nino phenomena and unusual precipitations in coastal Peru, XVI-XIXth centuries Abstract The establishment of a chronology of El Niño occurences in the last few centuries, is of great relevancy for scientists working on the El Niño phenomenan as a quasi-periodic alteration of the global climate. With this objective we gathered and reproduced the main historical sources that mention anomalons rainfalls and meteorological hazards which occurred in Peru between the years 1532 and 1891. A synoptic table presents the available data on heavy rains and exceptional floods, and includes critical comments on the historical sources, as well as a tentative classification of the climatic anomalies. The analysis of the sources presented here leads the authors to express reserve regarding the reconstitution of the occurence, and intensity, of some El Niño events as inferred by previous authors (Quinn et al. 1987).

Lightning Direction Finding Systems and their Developments

The detection and location of lightning by magnetic direction finding system (MDFS) and lightning position and tracking system (LPATS) are major meteorological techniques in recent years. The two systems have been critically discussed and the irrelative advantages and deficiencies are focused.Lightning is a major meteorological hazard. In addition to the protection of general public, access to real time lightning ground strike data could play a vital role in forest Are measurement, computer and communication network operation, explosives and toxic material handling, aircraft refueling and maintenance and repair of utility transmission and distribution systems. Even the nuclear plant operations may be considerably impacted by lightning [1]. Ruat et al [2] have shown the value of lightning data as a component of severe thunderstorm research. The needs for accurate location of lightning ground strikes are hence well documented.This note summarize the efforts to evaluate a new lightning location technology wi...

Meteorological Hazards and Disasters in Iran: A Preliminary Survey to 1950

(1984). Meteorological Hazards and Disasters in Iran: A Preliminary Survey to 1950. Iran: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 113-150.

A discussion on deformation of solids by the impact of liquids, and its relation to rain damage in aircraft and missiles, to blade erosion in steam turbines, and to cavitation erosion - Practical aspects of rain erosion of aircraft and missiles

All-weather operational requirements have added considerably to aircraft and missile design problems as the effects of various meteorological hazards, predominantly rain, are aggravated by high speed flight. Typical damage patterns are reproduced and discussed. The problem of rain erosion is reviewed with regard to the functional requirements of the components, the flight plan of the vehicle and the occurrence of rain over the geographical terrain of operation. The factors affecting rain erosion characteristics such as type of material, surface finish, shape of component, speed and rainfall intensity are discussed and empirical data derived. The translation of significant results into practical applications is described with particular reference to supersonic transport aircraft. Details given of equipment for the simulation of rain erosion are concerned principally with the R. A. E. ‘whirling arm’ and rocket runway high speed sled techniques. Correlation of test results from these facilities with those from flight tests are briefly discussed. Degree of erosion of a material is defined in relation to the particular application of the material and details are given of the characteristics of numerous materials, both metals and non-metals. The utilization of these materials for such applications as radomes, transparencies, high temperature materials, de-icing systems are briefly discussed together with methods of extending the rain erosion ‘life’ of materials by design or by use of protective coatings.

Rain Erosion Aspects of Aircraft and Guided Missiles

Summary“All-weather” operational requirements have added considerably to aircraft and missile design problems as the effects of various meteorological hazards, predominantly rain, are aggravated by high speed flight. The problem of rain erosion is reviewed with regard to the functional requirements of the components, the flight plan of the vehicle and the occurrence of rain over the geographical terrain of operation. The factors affecting rain erosion characteristics such as type of material, surface finish, shape of component, speed and rainfall intensity are discussed and empirical data derived. The influences on the problem of radar limitation in rain, the probability of rain occurrence and the effect of wind and wind-shear are mentioned. Details given of equipment for the simulation of rain erosion are concerned principally with the R.A.E. “whirling arm” and rocket runway high speed sled techniques. Correlation of test results from these facilities and flight tests are briefly discussed.Degree of erosion of a material is defined in relation to the particular application of the material and details are given of the characteristics of numerous materials, both metals and non-metals. The utilisation of these materials for such applications as radomes, transparencies, high temperature materials, de-icing systems are briefly discussed together with methods of extending the rain erosion “life” of materials by design or by use of protective coatings.

III—The Problems of Forecasting

The pilot or navigator expects the forecaster to supply him with: (a) forecasts of wind and temperature; and (b) forecasts of meteorological hazards, e.g. turbulence, icing. The increase of operating height and range of modern aircraft make it increasingly difficult to maintain a high standard of accuracy of forecasts.