KS1 (Age 5-7)KS2 (Age 7-11)11 Plus (Age 7-11)KS3 (Age 11-14)GCSE (Age 14-17)PSHE A.I.ESL Spanish Specialist Games

Need help with Hurricanes? Ask our AI Tutor!

AI Tutor - Lucy

Connecting with Tutor...

Please wait while we establish connection

Hi! I'm Lucy, your AI tutor. How can I help you with Hurricanes today?

now

See if you can get full marks in this enjoyable quiz.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are powerful tropical storms with strong winds and heavy rain. This GCSE Geography quiz tests how and where they form, move and cause damage.

Explore the Topic →

(quiz starts below)

Fascinating Fact:

Hurricanes are rotated by the Coriolis effect, so they spin anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

In GCSE Geography, the Hurricanes topic explains how intense tropical storms develop over warm oceans, why they follow curved tracks and what happens when they reach land. You learn about the structure of a hurricane, the hazards they create, and how prediction, preparation and long-term planning can reduce their impacts on people and the environment.

Key Terms

Hurricane: A very strong tropical storm with sustained winds above 119 km/h, forming over warm ocean waters near the tropics.
Eye: The calm, clear centre of a hurricane, surrounded by a ring of very strong winds and heavy rain called the eye wall.
Storm surge: A rapid rise in sea level caused by low pressure and strong winds, which can lead to severe coastal flooding.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

How do hurricanes form for GCSE Geography?

Hurricanes form over oceans with sea temperatures above about 27 °C, where warm, moist air rises, low pressure develops, and the Coriolis effect makes the storm spin and organise.

What is the difference between a hurricane, cyclone and typhoon?

They are the same type of tropical storm but with different regional names. In the Atlantic they are called hurricanes, in the Indian Ocean cyclones, and in the western Pacific typhoons.

How do people manage the impacts of hurricanes in GCSE case studies?

Impacts are managed by forecasting and warning systems, evacuation plans, storm shelters, strong building design, coastal defences, and long-term planning to avoid the most high-risk areas.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

What temperature must the sea be for a hurricane to form?

Less than 25°C

At least 26°C

Between 0 and 10°C

50°C

Where the sea surface temperature is 26°C or more, it is possible for a hurricane to form. Once a hurricane forms, it can travel long distances

2 .

Which of the following is not a reason why there is a larger loss of life in LEDCs than MEDCs during a hurricane?

The storm warning systems are better in MEDCs

MEDCs can afford to plant trees to shelter urban centres from storms

Richer countries can afford to build more hurricane shelters

MEDCs can begin disaster relief operations much sooner than LEDCs

There are other reasons too such as higher literacy rates so populations understand the dangers and what they should do to stay safer during a hurricane, better hurricane survival education programmes and more sturdily-constructed buildings

3 .

The centre of a hurricane is called the ...

ear

nose

eye

throat

It is an area that is clear of clouds because it is where cold air is sinking downwards. Clouds only form from rising warm air that cools down at higher altitudes

4 .

Which of the following is not a hazard to human settlements caused by hurricanes?

Earthquakes

Flooding

Destruction of buildings

Damage to communications networks

There is no link between earthquakes and hurricanes

5 .

Why does a hurricane lose strength when it is over a land mass?

The trees and buildings absorb the energy

The sun shines more over the sea than land

It gets its energy from warm moist air rising from the sea

Over land, the eye changes shape

There is not as much warm moist air over land as there is at sea so there is a lot less energy to power the hurricane

6 .

Where do hurricanes form?

At the equator

Between 5 and 10 degrees north of the equator

Between 5 and 20 degrees from the equator

More than 45 degrees from the equator

Further away from the equator, the seas never become warm enough to start a hurricane. The rising air must be rotating, any closer to the equator than 5 degrees and the coriolis force is too weak to cause rotation

7 .

Where do hurricanes usually form?

In a tropical rainforest

In the northern hemisphere

Over polar seas

Over tropical seas

Hurricanes require rising air that contains a lot of moisture, warm air rises and can hold more moisture than cold air. Warm air over a warm sea can hold the greatest amount of moisture

8 .

To be called a hurricane, the wind speed in a storm must be ...

between 0 and 20 mph

between 20 and 37 mph

between 35 and 55 mph

at least 75 mph

If you are caught outside in a hurricane, it would be difficult to walk, lighter people may not even be able to stand upright. The biggest problem would be avoiding being hit by flying debris - imagine even just a small object hitting you at a similar speed to a car driving along a motorway in the fast lane ...

9 .

Which of the following is not a name for a tropical revolving storm?

Tornado

Typhoon

Hurricane

Cyclone

A tornado is much smaller and is also called a whirlwind

10 .

In 2005, hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in the south of the USA. Much of the city was flooded but what was the main cause of the flooding?

Heavy rain

Rivers bursting their banks because of the rain

Blocked drains

A storm surge

The strong winds of a hurricane create a bulge of water which is called a storm surge. In the case of New Orleans, the surge was about 6m. The flood defences were poorly constructed and failed to stop the surge from entering the city

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Extreme weather

Author: Kev Woodward (PGCE, Science & Chemistry Teacher, Quiz Writer)