Meteorological disasters

This refers to disasters caused by fluctuations in meteorological phenomena. A significant drop in temperature causes frost damage and cold damage in winter, and frost damage in spring and autumn. When temperatures are high in winter, warm winter damage also occurs. Excessive precipitation causes flooding, and heavy snowfall in winter causes great harm to society. Strong winds cause wind damage, not only destroying buildings, but also dry wind damage and sea breeze damage, which damages crops. Strong winds at sea also create large waves, which cause marine accidents and port destruction. A decrease in humidity causes abnormal dryness, which can lead to fires. There are many other damages caused by fluctuations in each meteorological element, such as lightning strikes, hail damage, and traffic accidents caused by dense fog. However, there are many meteorological disasters that are caused by a combination of meteorological elements rather than individual meteorological elements. Examples include typhoon disasters caused by strong winds and heavy rain, cold damage caused by low temperatures and lack of sunlight, and drought damage caused by little rain and strong sunlight. There are also many disorders that are triggered by weather, such as meteorological illnesses.

Although air pollution is not a direct cause of weather, it is often dealt with in the field of meteorological disasters because it is closely related to weather, such as the rise and fall of land and sea breezes and ozone. Recently, abnormal weather has become a major problem as a result of global weather changes. This has a major impact on hunger in Africa and on the production of food and feed around the world. In the future, it will be necessary to pay attention to the trends in this climate change as a major issue in meteorological disasters.

[Takao Ando]

"Theory of Meteorological Disasters" by Takahashi Koichiro (1966, Chijin Shokan)" ▽ "Disaster Prevention Science Series 1: Meteorological Disasters" edited by Hatakeyama Hisanao (1966, Kyoritsu Shuppan)" ▽ "How to Read Weather Charts for Disaster Prevention Personnel" by Kurashima Atsushi and Aoki Takashi (1976, Tokyodo Shuppan)" ▽ "Preparing for Abnormal Weather" by Asakura Tadashi (1981, Nikkei Shinsho)" ▽ "Modern Meteorological Technology 3: Disaster Prevention and Weather" by Miyazawa Seiji (1982, Asakura Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

気象現象の変動によっておこる災害をいう。気温の著しい低下によって、冬には凍害や寒害が、春秋には霜害がおこる。冬に気温が高いときには、暖冬害もおこる。降水量が過多になれば水害を引き起こし、冬は豪雪となって、社会に多大な害を与える。強い風は風害となって、建造物などを破壊するばかりでなく、乾風害や潮風害となって農作物に害を及ぼす。また海上の強風は大波をおこし、海難や港湾を破壊する原因となる。湿度の低下は、異常乾燥を引き起こし、火災発生の原因となる。そのほか落雷、雹(ひょう)害、濃霧による交通事故など、それぞれの気象要素の変動による害は多い。しかし個々の気象要素というよりも、総合された気象要素がその原因となっている気象災害も多く、強風と豪雨による台風災害、低温と日照不足による冷害、少雨と強い日射による干害などはその例である。また気象病のように気象がその誘因として作用する障害も多い。

　大気汚染も、気象が直接の原因ではないが、海陸風の消長やオゾンなど、気象が大きく関連するので、気象災害の分野で扱うことが多い。また最近、世界的な気象の変動の結果、異常気象が大きな問題になってきている。これはアフリカの飢餓や世界の食糧や飼料の生産に大きく影響している。今後、この気候の変動の動向を、気象災害上の大きな問題として注目する必要がある。

［安藤隆夫］

『高橋浩一郎著『気象災害論』（1966・地人書館）』▽『畠山久尚編『防災科学シリーズ1　気象災害』（1966・共立出版）』▽『倉嶋厚・青木孝著『防災担当者のための天気図の読み方』（1976・東京堂出版）』▽『朝倉正著『異常気象に備える』（1981・日経新書）』▽『宮沢清治著『現代の気象テクノロジー3　防災と気象』（1982・朝倉書店）』

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