Winds, Mountain Ranges, & Bodies of Water First Day

Introduction to Winds, Mountains, and Water Mini-Unit

Uttarakhand floods 2013

• Floods can come from a variety of sources, such as heavy rainfall and mountain snowmelt. If rivers, creeks and lakes receive too much water and aren't able to confine it within their banks, we can get flooding from these sources as well.

• It's like pouring water into an already full glass - the only place for it to go is over the edge!

• Flooded 27,000 square miles of land (about the size of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont combined)

• The rain that fed this flood spread the river to a width of 70 miles, claiming hundreds of lives as it poured over the land.

• A storm surge occurs when a hurricane pushes a big pile of water along the ocean. Essentially, this creates a giant wall of water heading toward land.

• The storm surge from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 was one of the most damaging effects of the hurricane, literally washing away homes, businesses and roads along the East coast.

• Intense thunderstorms create temporary (but large) puddles of water everywhere and cause small rivers and creeks to suddenly overflow. The sudden pools of water that come from flash floods often occur on roadways or at low points in cities, which is especially dangerous to those driving or living where the water collects.

• The main difference between floods and flash floods is the size - flash floods are small and short-term.

The Himalaya include many of the tallest peaks on Earth, such as Mt. Everest (29,000 ft.)