Residents in the United Arab Emirates were surprised by a rare weather phenomenon – a hailstorm in the desert. Large hailstones covered roads and caused damage to homes and vehicles. Some locals were shocked by this unusual occurrence. However, is it really so exceptional for a desert nation to experience such weather? BBC Weather's Elizabeth Rizzini has the answer.
The video shows footage of the hailstorm and explains that while it may seem unusual, hailstorms can occur in desert regions under certain conditions. Hail is formed when there are strong updrafts in thunderstorms, which can happen in desert areas as well. These updrafts carry raindrops upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere, where they freeze and form hailstones. When the hailstones become too heavy for the updrafts to support, they fall to the ground.
The rarity of hailstorms in the desert is due to the lack of moisture in the air. Deserts are known for their dry climates, with very little rainfall. However, when the right combination of atmospheric conditions occurs, hailstorms can occur even in these arid regions. This is why residents in the UAE were surprised by the recent hailstorm.
The video concludes by stating that while hailstorms in the desert are not common, they are not unheard of either. It is a rare weather phenomenon that can occur under specific circumstances. So, while residents may have been shocked by the hailstorm, it is not completely unprecedented for a desert nation like the UAE to experience such weather.
Original news source: UAE: A hailstorm in the desert? Rare weather phenomenon shocks residents (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Provide each group with a copy of the article or a summary of the article.
3. Instruct the groups to read the article and create a concise summary of the main points.
4. After a designated amount of time, have each group share their summary with the class.
5. Facilitate a discussion to compare and contrast the different summaries and clarify any misunderstandings.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Write the following question on the board: "Do you think it is unusual for a desert nation like the UAE to experience a hailstorm?"
2. Have students individually answer the question by selecting one of the following options: "Yes," "No," or "Not Sure."
3. Ask each student to stand up and briefly explain their choice, providing reasons or evidence to support their opinion.
4. Facilitate a class discussion to explore the different perspectives and encourage respectful debate.
– Sketch It
Instructions:
1. Provide each student with a piece of paper and a pen or pencil.
2. Instruct the students to sketch a visual representation of the hailstorm in the desert described in the article.
3. After a designated amount of time, have students share their sketches with a partner or in small groups.
4. Encourage students to discuss their interpretations and ask questions about each other's sketches.
5. Allow volunteers to share their sketches with the whole class and explain their artistic choices.
– Synonym Challenge
Instructions:
1. Write the following words on the board: "unusual," "phenomenon," "occurrence," "atmosphere," "arid."
2. Instruct the students to work individually or in pairs to come up with as many synonyms as they can for each word.
3. After a designated amount of time, have students share their lists with the class.
4. Facilitate a discussion to explore the different synonyms and their nuances in meaning.
5. Encourage students to use the synonyms in sentences to demonstrate understanding and context.
– Future Predictions
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Instruct each group to imagine a different weather phenomenon that could occur in an unexpected location.
3. Have the groups discuss and make predictions about the potential causes and impacts of their chosen weather phenomenon.
4. After a designated amount of time, have each group present their predictions to the class.
5. Facilitate a discussion to compare and contrast the different predictions and encourage critical thinking about weather patterns and climate change.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
A hailstorm.
Hailstones form when there are strong updrafts in thunderstorms, which carry raindrops upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere where they freeze and form hailstones.
Hailstorms are rare in deserts because deserts are known for their dry climates with very little rainfall, which means there is usually not enough moisture in the air for hailstones to form.
The atmospheric conditions needed for a hailstorm to occur in a desert are strong updrafts in thunderstorms that can carry raindrops into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere where they freeze and form hailstones.
The article does not mention whether residents in the UAE were completely unaware that hailstorms could happen in their country.
No, hailstorms are not a common occurrence in desert nations like the UAE.
Yes, hailstorms can occur in desert regions under certain conditions, such as when there are strong updrafts in thunderstorms that carry raindrops into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere.
Once hailstones become too heavy for the updrafts to support, they fall to the ground.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Residents in the United Arab Emirates were surprised by a rare weather – a hailstorm in the desert. Large hailstones covered roads and caused damage to and . Some locals were shocked by this unusual occurrence. However, is it really so exceptional for a desert nation to experience such weather? BBC Weather's Elizabeth Rizzini has the answer. The shows footage of the hailstorm and explains that while it may seem , can occur in desert regions under certain conditions. Hail is formed when there are updrafts in thunderstorms, which can happen in desert areas as well. These updrafts carry raindrops upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere, where they freeze and form . When the hailstones become too heavy for the to , they fall to the ground. The rarity of hailstorms in the desert is due to the lack of in the air. Deserts are known for their dry climates, with very little rainfall. However, when the right combination of atmospheric occurs, hailstorms can occur even in these arid regions. This is why residents in the UAE were surprised by the recent . The video concludes by stating that while hailstorms in the desert are not , they are not unheard of either. It is a rare weather phenomenon that can occur under specific circumstances. So, while residents may have been shocked by the hailstorm, it is not completely for a desert like the UAE to experience such weather.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a hailstorm?
2. Have you ever experienced a hailstorm? If so, what was it like?
3. How would you feel if you saw hailstones falling in the desert?
4. Do you think it is unusual for a desert nation to have a hailstorm? Why or why not?
5. Have you ever been surprised by a weather phenomenon? What was it and why were you surprised?
6. Do you like rainy weather? Why or why not?
7. How do you think the hailstorm in the UAE affected the residents?
8. What do you think the damage to homes and vehicles was like after the hailstorm?
9. Have you ever seen hailstones that were large enough to cause damage?
10. How do you think the hailstorm affected the local environment and wildlife?
11. Do you think climate change could be a factor in the occurrence of hailstorms in unusual places? Why or why not?
12. What other weather phenomena have you heard of that are considered rare or unusual?
13. How do you think the rarity of hailstorms in the desert affects the perception of the residents?
14. Have you ever been in a thunderstorm? If so, what was it like?
15. Do you think it is important for people to be prepared for unexpected weather events? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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