Arctic melt may dry out US west coast

[Ivan Seeking]

Cities and towns along the west coast of the US could be suffering from a serious water shortage by 2050, thanks to global warming. As Arctic sea ice melts, annual rainfall may drop by as much as 30 per cent from Seattle to Los Angeles, and inland as far as the Rocky Mountains.

As temperatures rise over the next 50 years, the area of Arctic sea ice is predicted to shrink by as much as 50 per cent in some areas during the summer. To find out what this would mean for climate, Jacob Sewall and Lisa Cirbus Sloan from the University of California at Santa Cruz first used a climate model to work out how sea ice cover was likely to change through the rest of the year.

Then they took these values for sea ice cover and the resulting sea surface temperatures, and plugged those into a global climate model to see which areas of the world would be most affected.

While Europe got off quite lightly, they found that the sea ice changes are likely to mean significantly fewer storms will pass over the west coast of the US.

"Winter sea ice acts like an insulating lid," explains Sewall. "When the lid is reduced, more heat can escape from the ocean to warm the atmosphere." [continued]

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994856

 

[Andre]

What else is the AGW hype going to chickenlittle? (that's a verb now, I'm sure)

Toying with the idea that the pole ice would melt and spent a couple of scientists salaries is just a ballyhoo. Nothing worth the kerfuffle. It's not going to happen and IPCC knows it d... well. Right now the terrible global warming expectations have been http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/219.htm I wonder what the new figure will be. Pure math would get you to about a degree celsius for doubling of the CO2.

Anyway, even if the temps would go up 10 degrees, in the Arctic winter night there is no greenhouse effect on the North Pole because there is no insolation. And even if the average winter temperature of say minus 30 degrees celsius would increase to minus 20 degrees, the ice would stubbornly form again albeit probably less extensive. But all in all you'd never get it to melt completely and not coming back again in the Arctic winter nite. That is in the next couple of dozens million years of course.

 

[ravenprp]

The potential impact of Arctic melt on the US west coast is concerning and highlights the far-reaching consequences of climate change. The projected decrease in sea ice cover and subsequent changes in sea surface temperatures could have significant effects on the region's water supply, which is already a precious resource in many areas.

The findings of this study serve as a reminder of the urgent need to address and mitigate the effects of global warming. As temperatures continue to rise and Arctic sea ice continues to melt, it is crucial that we take action to reduce our carbon footprint and limit the extent of these changes.

Additionally, this research highlights the interconnectedness of our planet's climate systems. The decrease in sea ice cover in the Arctic can have ripple effects on weather patterns and precipitation in other parts of the world, such as the US west coast. It is a stark reminder that climate change is a global issue that requires a coordinated and collaborative effort to address.

In order to prevent the predicted water shortage and other potential consequences of Arctic melt, it is imperative that we take swift and effective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes transitioning to renewable energy sources, implementing sustainable practices, and making changes in our daily lives to reduce our carbon footprint.

The time to act is now. We must work together to protect our planet and ensure a sustainable future for all. The potential consequences of Arctic melt on the US west coast serve as a wake-up call to take immediate and decisive action against climate change.