Extreme Weather

Plates under the earth's surface carry on moving in different directions over long periods of time, friction causes energy to build up. Eventually it becomes so great that the energy is released, which creates a shock wave - an earthquake. If the earthquake is beneath the ocean it can create a series of huge waves, called a tsunami.

A tsunami is a huge wave, usually caused by volcanic or earthquake activity under the ocean, which can eventually crash onto the shoreline. The effects on a community can be devastating.

Cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons are all the same kind of storm, one that spins and is fed by warm air. The scientific name for all of these storms is tropical cyclones.

These storms bring very strong winds and a lot of rain. They form over warm oceans and pick up energy as the warm air picks up water and rises.

A volcano is an opening in the Earth’s crust that allows magma, hot ash and gases to escape. Volcanoes can look like mountains or small hills, depending on what type they are.

Magma is molten rock - rock that is so hot it has turned into liquid. When magma reaches the surface of the Earth it is called lava and comes out of the volcano as a volcanic eruption, along with gases and ash.