Analyzing a severe weather disaster that had a large socio-economic impact, and writing a paper about your findings (approximately 4-5 pages double-spaced). Approach this as if you are a consultant hired by the government to help deal with these types of disasters in the future. Consequently, you will want to pay attention to the weather-related, infrastructure, and societal factors that made this a disaster, and analyze the societal responses to the event.
The societal responses to the disaster could include changes to policy, changes to infrastructure or new technology, and/or changes to emergency response communication methods.
Severe Weather: Current and Future Challenges Project Points and Checklist (50 points total available, 5 points extra credit)
Part I
1) Risk and Vulnerability and Event Severity: Why was this a severe weather disaster? (35 points)
a. What happened during the event you chose? What where the social and economic consequences of the event? (15 points)
i. What were the environmental factors (or factors of the area) that contributed to the loses/damage?
ii. What were the infrastructure issues that contributed to the losses/damage?
iii. What were governmental policy issues that contributed to the loses/damage?
iv. What were the socio-economic factors that contributed to the losses/damage?
b. What were the meteorological conditions that contributed to the event? ( 15 points)
i. What factors came together to create a severe event?
ii. How unusual where the conditions that led to the event?
iii. What is the climatological expectation for this kind of event?
Part II
2) Consequences and Lessons Learned: What were the impact of the event to society, and what changes were made to prevent an event like this from causing such a disaster in the future? (15 points)
a. What infrastructure/policy changes if any were made?
b. Where there changes in the science or technology that led to better forecasts/warnings?
c. Were there any behavioral changes by the human population that resulted from the event?
Part III
3) Climate Change and this Event: How is this type of severe weather event expected to evolve due to Climate Change? (5 points Extra Credit)
a. What is the expectation for these types of events as we head into the future (increase in frequency, increase in intensity)? Is there a reasonable expectation that climate change/population density/infrastructure density will impact the severity or impacts of future events? How?

Sample Solution

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us