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Extreme weather phenomena

Devastating floods, hurricanes, heat waves and arctic frosts have increasingly affected the European region in recent years. The political, economic, social, environmental and health consequences of these natural phenomena stimulate debate on whether appropriate action can prevent at least some of such extreme weather and climate disasters. Recent scientific assessments show that as global temperatures continue to rise, the number and intensity of extreme events is likely to increase.

Educational scenario

Extreme weather phenomena

“All across the world, …increasingly dangerous weather patterns and devastating storms are abruptly putting an end to the long-running debate over whether or not climate change is real. Not only is it real, it’s here, and its effects are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster.”

Barack Obama, the 44th US president


Devastating floods, hurricanes, heat waves and arctic frosts have increasingly affected the European region in recent years. The political, economic, social, environmental and health consequences of these natural phenomena stimulate debate on whether appropriate action can prevent at least some of such extreme weather and climate disasters. Recent scientific studies show that as the global temperatures continue to rise, the number and intensity of extreme events is likely to increase.

Learn more:


Health consequences of overheating


Explain to students that the alternation of hot days (temperatures above 30°C) and tropical nights (above 20°C), along with increased humidity, is particularly stressful for the human body and can lead to serious health consequences such as:

  • skin rash – relatively harmless, but accompanied by severe itching. The reason for its appearance is overheating of the sweaty places – armpits, back, under the chest, groin, etc. It is due to blockage and inflammation of sweat glands due to high temperature and humidity. Symptoms are: small red spots, irritating itching and stinging, redness and slight swelling of the affected area.
  • heat fatigue – a feeling of powerlessness at high atmospheric temperatures. Symptoms include cool, clammy skin and a lowered heart rate. The sufferer feels about to faint.
  • heat cramps – painful muscle spasms caused by dehydration and loss of electrolytes. They can be the result of hard physical work, hot weather and other factors. Heat cramps are the initial symptom of heat illness, including heat stroke and potentially fatal overheating of the body;
  • heat syncope (fainting) – a mild form of heat sickness due to overheating, which is often the result of physical exertion in hot weather. Placing the patient in a horizontal position and in a shade quickly normalizes the condition;
  • heat exhaustion – caused by low blood pressure and dehydration of the body. Too often, this condition occurs to young people who put a lot of strain on their bodies, even though they are not feeling well. If the high heat load in such cases is not removed, it can pass into
  • heat stroke, in which extreme body temperature (above 40.5°C) leads to damage to cellular structures and the thermoregulatory system and is at high risk of fatal outcome.

Distribute copies of (read the information in) Worksheet "Dehydration". Let the students remember well the symptoms that indicate the dehydration degree of the body so that they can take the appropriate preventive measures when it becomes necessary.

Dehydration


Show the video "Climate change leading to extreme weather events" to the class. Discuss the following questions:

  • What natural disasters are presented in the video?
  • What is the definition of an extreme weather event (an event that has stronger performance than observed similar events in the past)?
  • Who is affected by extreme natural phenomena (economic and social life, ecosystems, infrastructure)?
  • What are the human and material losses in the USA as a result of Hurricane Katrina (1,800 dead and $160 billion in economic losses)?
  • Which episodes showing different types of extreme weather phenomena are most impressive and/or shocking to students?
  • What measures can and should be taken to deal with extreme natural phenomena (changes in laws, more accurate weather forecasts, reliable disaster response systems, protective measures against agricultural, energy, water bodies, technical flood protection equipment)?
  • Which new energy production technologies help diversify the energy sector (geothermal and solar energy, biomass energy)?
  • Can extreme natural phenomena and their consequences be completely prevented?

Assign students to enrich their knowledge of extreme natural phenomena by watching the YouTube video "What happened in the world - 05-11 June 2022", using, if necessary, the technical option automatic translation into Bulgarian.

The video also shows a natural disaster related to one Bulgarian city. What other similar disasters in Bulgaria have students heard about in 2022?

Regional Conference "Extreme Natural Phenomena"


Destructive floods, hurricanes, heat waves and arctic cold have increasingly affected the European region in recent years. New scientific assessments show that as global temperatures continue to rise, the number and intensity of extreme events are likely to increase.

Preliminary preparation

Explain to the class that a regional conference on "Extreme natural phenomena in our area" is about to be held. For that purpose, it is necessary to appoint 6 volunteers who will take the role of experts and familiarize themselves with the information presented in the areas:

Ask volunteers to prepare a short presentation on each of the 6 extreme natural phenomena within 7-10 minutes. Assign the other students to look for reports of similar phenomena observed in their area or in Bulgaria.

In class

Arrange the classroom appropriately so that it is suitable for the conference. Draw lots for the order in which the experts will show their presentations. After each presentation, give the other students the opportunity to complete the picture about the particular extreme natural phenomenon with information they were able to find.

In conclusion

Summarize which of the listed extreme phenomena are characteristic of the area in which you live and what preventive measures have to be taken and what local residents’ behavior needs to be followed.


Discussion: Man and nature


“Even with all our technology and the inventions
that make modern life so much easier
than it once was,
it takes just one big natural disaster
to wipe all that away and remind us that, here on Earth,
we’re still at the mercy of nature."
Neil deGrasse Tyson,
an American astrophysicist and science communicator

Present Neil deGrasse Tyson's statement (or paraphrase it in a child-friendly way) and discuss it;

  • Are there any cases where man is powerless towards nature? Give examples you have heard of.
  • Can one take preventive measures? Give examples (dykes against floods, protective forests against storms, strengthening slopes against landslides, wearing warm clothes during cold waves, not allowing the construction of buildings in the immediate vicinity of a river).

Can new technical solutions help humans dominate over nature?


Preparation for hiking in nature


Many people go unprepared for a long stay in nature, without considering the terrain, the season and their own capabilities. This can endanger not only their lives, but also the lives and health of other people.

Organize a brainstorming session: What do we have to take with us for a long stay in nature?

Ask students to come up with suggestions for all the survival essentials that should be in the backpack of a tourist who has taken a hike in nature. Write down the suggestions, comment on them and complete them (warm clothes, suitable shoes, water, durable and high-calorie food, charged cell phone, flashlight, knife, matches, sunscreen, medicine, compass, large polythene sack or aluminum survival blanket foil, raincoat, etc.). Pay attention to items of utmost importance for survival in the event of loss, blackout and adverse weather conditions.

Explain that when hiking, it is important to study the route in detail, know the marking signs and inform the lodgers of the number of people in the group and the expected arrival time.

Comment on the popular rule among the experienced tourists: "Do not go in the mountains: in summer – without warm clothes, and in winter – without food".


On a hiking trip in the mountains


Heavy sudden rains and severe thunderstorms are common in the mountains during the summer months. They put the health and lives of tourists at risk. Camping or resting near streams or rivers located in mountainous terrain may pose a risk if thunderstorms start in the area. Mountain slopes and steep hills are a condition of rapid runoff, which causes a rapid rise in the runoff water level. Rocks and shallow, clay soils don't allow much water to soak into the ground. Sometimes storms causing heavy rainfall can happen quite far and uphill from the campsite, making it difficult to recognize a dangerous situation. On the other hand, the presence of thunderstorm activity poses a danger to anyone who is outdoors or in close proximity to tall trees.

Present and discuss the dilemma "On a hiking trip in the mountains". After the discussion is complete, write down some important safety rules that should be followed when hikers are in the mountains and the weather predicts a strong storm and heavy rains.

On a hiking trip in the mountains


Extreme natural phenomena in our native region


Assign students to research extreme natural phenomena in the home region in the recent years (storms, floods, hail, fires or others), presenting the collected information in the following sequence:

  • Nature of the phenomenon
  • Season of performance
  • Area affected
  • Affected people and settlements
  • Affected economic activities
  • Measures taken to overcome disasters

Organize a presentation of the results of the study and discuss the preparedness of society and individuals to deal with events of an extreme nature.


Score: | 10
Question: | 10


Scientists predict that deepening climate change will lead to more frequent and more intense extreme natural disasters. Therefore, both the actions to protect the population and to  take preventive measures are of particular importance for the protection of people's lives and health and the preservation of property and infrastructure. A good occasion for organizing meetings, celebrations and training seminars are the dates:

  • March 1 – World Civil Defense Day. On this day, the world's attention is drawn to the vital importance of civil protection in emergencies and natural disasters.
  • March 23 – World Meteorology Day. Timely and accurate notification of impending hazardous weather events can go a long way in preventing human and material losses.
  • April 7 - World Health Day. On this date, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and all those whose competence and professionalism are relied upon by those in trouble are celebrated.
  • September 14 – Professional holiday of the Bulgarian employees responsible for fire safety and the protection of the population during disasters and accidents. The fate of people affected by natural disasters depends on their quick and effective response and selfless work.

Organizing discussions and training seminars with representatives of these professions is particularly important for acquiring knowledge and skills on how to react during and after devastating and life-threatening events, such as extreme natural phenomena.


We cannot stop natural disasters, but we can arm ourselves with knowledge: so many lives wouldn’t have to be lost, if there was enough disaster preparedness. Petra Němcová, a Czech model, television host, and philanthropist

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About the portal

The informational and educational portal Klimadapt is intended for the dissemination of information, training of students, teachers and the general public, as well as for the organization of civil projects and campaigns dedicated to overcoming and adapting to climate change. Its creation took place within the project Changing with Climate, which is implemented by 10 partner organizations with the support of the Environmental Protection and Climate Change Program through the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area /2014-2021/.

The Klimadapt portal includes a variety of informational and didactic materials (texts, videos, lesson plans, dilemmas, model stories and fairy tales, worksheets, experiments, tests, games, instructions on how to organize actions, etc.) that provide opportunities for implementation of a learning process and/or organising a variety of activities related to mitigation or adaptation to the occuring climate changes.

Portal Development

Information texts and structure, concept of the portal: Kliment Mindjov

Educational scenarios: Kliment Mindjov, Tatiana Miteva

Portal design and PDF files: Sylvia Magyar

Illustrations and graphics: Laszlo Falvay

Video adaptation: Ivan Kozhuharov

Translation from/into English: Irina Dobriyanova, Kliment Mindjov

Editing in Bulgarian: Galina Spassova

Programming: Daniel Mirea

Management of the "Changing with Climate" project: Mariana Bancheva, Violeta Nikolova

The portal uses photos from the iStock and Unsplash platforms, as well as “pro bono” provided materials from the photo and video library of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC).

Acknowledgements

The development of the Klimadapt informational and educational portal was made possible through the goodwill and cooperation of a wide range of specialists and organisations.

We express our heartfelt gratitude to Prof. Dennis Meadows and his collaborators for the copyright for the Bulgarian language version of "The Climate Change Playbook", which includes 22 interactive games.

Nikolay Petkov researched and prepared information related to good Bulgarian and foreign practices in dealing with climate change. We thank him.

In the virtual library of the portal, informational and educational materials of various nature of various organizations, created years ago, but facing increasingly difficulty to find on the Internet, are included. In this regard, our thanks go to:

The informative and educational texts in the portal reflect facts and data from various international and Bulgarian sources: European Commission, European Environment Agency, World Health Organization, United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); United States Environmental Protection Agency, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), World Bank, World Resources Institute,  Ministry of Environment and Water of the Republic of Bulgaria, Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, publications in BBC, The Guardian and other periodicals. The creators of the portal are responsible for the content and the way the information is presented and visualized.

Finally, but not least, we would like to express our sincerest gratitude to our sponsors from the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area (EEA FM) and the program operator at the Ministry of Environment and Water of the Republic of Bulgaria. Thank you!

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