Across
- 1. surge a rise in sea level above the normal tide caused by very low atmospheric pressure and the stress of strong winds on the sea surface when a tropical cyclone approaches or crosses a coastline
- 3. aerially burning fuel that blows ahead of a fire front firestorm / an intense fire that may generate strong convection currents and violent winds causing long-range spotting and flame spirals
- 4. disaster an extreme event that is the result of natural processes and causes serious material damage or loss of life natural hazard / an extreme event that is the result of natural processes and has the potential to cause serious material damage and loss of life
- 6. plain part of a river valley covered by water during floods heatwave / a prolonged period of very hot weather
- 7. Niña event a period of well above average rainfall in eastern Australia that often brings floods
- 10. a storm associated with lightning and thunder, occurring with cumulonimbus clouds
- 11. high pressure system a persistent high pressure system that occurs on a large scale, remaining stationary for a period of time, compressing and warming the air
- 13. scale used to measure the energy of earthquakes sclerophyll: plants found in low rainfall areas; their leathery leaves help reduce water loss
Down
- 1. oscillation a major air pressure shift between the Asian and east Pacific regions. Its most common extremes are El Niño events.
- 2. the point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake
- 5. cyclone a severe weather event that occurs where warm, moist, rising air begins to spiral upwards. They are often accompanied by very strong winds, heavy rain and rough seas.
- 6. front the edge of a fire that spreads fastest
- 8. the loose material brought down by a river and deposited on its bed, flood plain or delta.
- 9. a prolonged period of below average precipitation earthquake: shaking of the ground that is generated by disturbances in the Earth’s crust
- 11. bushfire a fire burning out of control in the open; also called a wildfire
- 12. front a surface where a cool air mass meets a warmer mass, into which it is advancing
- 14. Niño event the reversal (every few years) of the more usual direction of winds and surface currents across the Pacific Ocean. This change causes drought in eastern Australia and heavy rain in South America.