Canadian Geography Weather Extremes in Canada Ms. Ripley

Primary Resource

The Canadian Atlas p.14-15. You can also use the related pages of The Canadian Atlas website at www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas.

Additional resources

·  Student worksheet (provided)

·  CBC Archives of Hurricane Hazel (Toronto 1954) http://archives.cbc.ca/300c.asp?IDCat=70&IDDos=77&IDLan=1&IDMenu=70

·  Hurricane Juan (Halifax 2003) with photo gallery: http://novascotia.cbc.ca/features/HalifaxHurricane/

·  CBC Archives of the Quebec Ice Storm of 1998:

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-70-258/disasters_tragedies_extreme_weather/ice_storm/

·  White Juan snowstorm (Halifax 2004) with photo gallery: http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/weather/severe/2003-2004/whitejuan_e.html

·  Red River Flood (Manitoba 1997):

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-70-670/disasters_tragedies/manitoba_floods/

Main Objective

The main objective of the lesson is to introduce students to the various factors that influence weather and create weather extremes in Canada

Student Activity Sheet

Part A – Meteorological Factors

1. a) Name the five air masses that affect Canada’s weather in column 1 of the table below.

b) Why are some air masses dry while others are humid? Use the names of the air masses and what you have learned about each to identify their characteristics.

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c) Check off the characteristics of each air mass in columns 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the chart.

Name of Air Mass / Moist / Dry / Warm / Cold
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

2. a) Explain the difference between a cold front and a warm front.

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b) How do clouds and precipitation differ between a cold front and a warm front?

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3. a) What are the factors needed for a thunderstorm to develop?

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b) What triggers the electrical discharge (lightning)?

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c) What causes the thunder?

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4. How can a tornado develop within a thunderstorm?

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5. Why does freezing rain freeze?

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Part B – Meteorological Danger

1.  What is the greatest threat of ice storms? What was the cost (in lives and in dollars) of the Quebec Ice Storm of 1998?

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2.  Which regions of Canada are most prone to tornadoes? Why?

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3.  What was Canada’s deadliest twister? What damage did it do?

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4.  What was Canada’s deadliest hurricane? What damage did it do?

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5.  When is the hurricane season? Why? Where do hurricanes strike Canada most often?

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Canadian Council For Geographic Education