This memory aid covers STORM — The Formation Mnemonic within Weather Hazards for GCSE Geography. Revise Weather Hazards in The Challenge of Natural Hazards for GCSE Geography with 16 exam-style questions and 24 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 11 of 14 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.

🧠 STORM — The Formation Mnemonic

Remember the key features of tropical storms with STORM:

S — Surge kills most people, not the wind. In Typhoon Haiyan (2013), the 7.5 m storm surge was the primary killer — not the 195 mph winds. Always lead with surge when explaining tropical storm deaths in exam answers.

T — Track away from tropics over warm water, weakening over cold water or land. Storms track initially westward (steered by trade winds), then recurve poleward. They weaken when they lose their warm ocean fuel.

O — Ocean temperature ≥26°C required for formation and maintenance. This is the storm's fuel. No warm water = no storm forms. Ocean cooling = storm weakens. Climate change is expanding the area of ocean above 26°C.

R — Rotation caused by the Coriolis effect. Anticlockwise in Northern Hemisphere; clockwise in Southern. Zero rotation at the equator — that's why storms cannot form there (the Coriolis effect is zero at 0° latitude).

M — Monitoring reduces death toll in HICs by providing 5–7 days' track warning. The gap between warning and survival is bridged by preparedness: evacuation capacity, building quality, surge awareness. Monitoring is most effective when combined with planning and protection.

Somerset Levels Cause Mnemonic: DRIPS

D — Dredging not done since early 1990s — river capacity reduced by 20+ years of sediment accumulation
R — Record rainfall — 200% of average in January 2014; wettest winter in 250 years
I — Inundation of 17,000 acres; 600+ homes; villages isolated for weeks by road
P — Policy debate — managed retreat (Environment Agency) vs active dredging (local communities); Somerset Flood Action Plan (£100m) introduced as resolution
S — Saturated ground from autumn 2013 storms — no infiltration capacity left when winter rains arrived

Primary vs Secondary Effects: Punch vs Slow Burn

Primary = P for Punch — the storm's direct physical punch: wind damage, surge flooding, rainfall flooding. Happens during the event. Affects everyone equally regardless of wealth.
Secondary = S for Slow Burn — consequences that develop slowly after the storm passes: disease, displacement, economic disruption, psychological trauma. Shaped heavily by vulnerability — how quickly society can restore water, provide shelter, fund reconstruction.

STORM — The Formation Mnemonic