New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Using GIS to map the track of a tropical storm

I can use and configure GIS to visualise the tracks of tropical storms.

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New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Using GIS to map the track of a tropical storm

I can use and configure GIS to visualise the tracks of tropical storms.

Link copied to clipboard

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Ready-made tropical storm layers can be configured to visualise spatial patterns more effectively, e.g. using filters.
  2. Tropical storms can be analysed using pop-up data.
  3. Georeferenced data about a particular tropical storm can be mapped using GIS and configured to show selected attributes.
  4. A storm track can be visualised using temporal data, in a time-enabled GIS map.

Keywords

  • Attribute - a data value associated with a feature or variable measure (‘field’) in a GIS layer

  • Pop-up - in GIS, a read-only display of attribute information, often linked to a location

  • Georeferenced data - information which has been tied to a particular location (geolocated), using an agreed system such as latitude and longitude

  • Temporal data - information which is tied to a particular point in time, so that data can be time-enabled (also known as spatiotemporal data)

Common misconception

It is very easy to miss important small steps in GIS.

Take students through each step and check for understanding very regularly.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Using GIS to map the track of a tropical storm, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Practise the procedural steps yourself first until you achieve fluency and feel confident. Don't worry if you make mistakes - everyone does even after years of experience!
Teacher tip

Equipment

Access to devices such as latptops or desktops. Access to ArcGIS Online for all students and teachers, which is free to all schools.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Tropical storms require __________ water and __________ winds to form, they are found in tropical regions close to the equator.
Correct answer: warm
cold
strong
Correct answer: light
Q2.
The term for these storms changes, depending on where they occur. Match the term to its location.
Correct Answer:US and the Caribbean,hurricanes

hurricanes

Correct Answer:South Asia,cyclones

cyclones

Correct Answer:East Asia,typhoons

typhoons

Correct Answer:Australia,willy-willies

willy-willies

Q3.
Which of the following is not a typical feature of a tropical storm?
High winds
Heavy rainfall
Correct answer: Calm skies
Strong pressure differences
Q4.
What does GIS stand for?
Global Interactive System
Correct answer: Geographic Information System
General Information Survey
Geographic Internet Software
Q5.
What type of data does GIS typically use to create maps?
Text and audio data
Correct answer: Geographic and spatial data
Images and videos
Financial data
Q6.
Order the formation of a tropical storm.
1 - Warm air rises from the ocean leaving an area of low pressure, which is filled
2 - by the surrounding air, creating winds. This air now warms and rises too,
3 - bringing moisture with it. This moisture cools and condenses to form towering
4 - storm clouds which make the eye wall. When the cooled air descends it will
5 - form an area of calm in the centre called the eye. Due to the winds near the
6 - equator, the tropical storm starts to move from east to west.
7 - The spin of Earth causes these winds to curve and the storm starts to spin.

4 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is not a layer that might be used in a GIS to analyse a tropical storm?
Predicted storm path
Correct answer: Elevation and flood risk zones
Population density
Time zones in the UK
Q2.
Match the lesson's key words with their definitions.
Correct Answer:Attribute,a data value linked to a feature or variable measure in a GIS layer

a data value linked to a feature or variable measure in a GIS layer

Correct Answer:Pop-up,a read-only display of attribute information linked to a location

a read-only display of attribute information linked to a location

Correct Answer:Georeferenced data,information tied to a particular location using an agreed system

information tied to a particular location using an agreed system

Correct Answer:Temporal data,information which is tied to a particular point in time

information which is tied to a particular point in time

Q3.
How do Geographers use GIS to track tropical storms?
By predicting the weather using a formula
Correct answer: By collecting satellite and radar data to map the storm’s path
By using only weather balloons
By making manual drawings of the storm's track
Q4.
Why is it useful to use GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to track a tropical storm?
It shows how deep the ocean is beneath the storm
Correct answer: It helps predict and map the storm’s path and impacts
It measures the temperature of the storm’s eye
It stops the storm from getting stronger

Additional material

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