Thread: Question about global warming SCI-FI scenario

Note: This is not a debate about wether there is global warming or not.

I have a hypothetical question about what the climate would be like IF there was sufficient GHG (CO2, methane, etc) to increase the global temperature (on average). Lets say, as in the movie "The Arrival" that extra-terrestrials want to increase the earth's temperature and release large quantities of CO2 and Methane, and artificially cause many thermal vents to appear at the bottom of the oceans.

If there is less snow ice cover on average (even if some regions get more accumulations) and the ocean temperatures increase, would there be more evaporation and cloud cover in certain parts of the world than there is presently? Would there be more rain, thunderstorms and hurricanes? Would there be more wind on average in some parts of the world?

Any other effects that could disrupt humans typical way of life?

thanks :wink:

anyone?

It would be foolish to speculate so much.
Just begin by learning more by the facts.
Please observe more, speculate less.

Answer : yes and no.

Some places more. Some places less. Accurate prediction would be difficult if not impossible.

would there be more evaporation...

Definately.

and cloud cover in certain parts of the world than there is presently?

For some parts yes...particularly where clouds tend to be stratiform, such as over the arctic regions. In temperature and over the equitorial regions more evaporation and temperatures often means more convective clouds (e.g. thunderstorms) which take up less total area; in short increased evaporation and temperature can mean less cloudiness.

Would there be more rain, thunderstorms

Yes and Yes. Unfortunately though because there's increased evaporation even with more rain many places will become deserts--much of the US plains are in that catagory.

and hurricanes?

That's a complex question because if windshear goes up it doesn't matter how warm the ocean gets. There are some fun projections that might be worst attention in a scifi. The South Altantic, which histically doesnt' get hurricanes is projected to get some in a warmer climate (there's be two in recent years). Also the Mediterean is projected to start getting hurricanes.

Would there be more wind on average in some parts of the world?

I'll see if I can come up with anything other than a general observation that the jet stream tends to move polewards. Hence places like Chicago, which enjoy good wind even during the summer might become slill and hot summer places more like Liousville.

Any other effects that could disrupt humans typical way of life?

Some fun ideas perhaps. Parts of the tropics are close to what some people call blood temperature, which is the maximum combination of temperature and humidity that humans can survive in outside. In a warmer and more humid world there will be large swaths of areas where humans will be unihabitable to humans (without tech) and other mammals that can survive there now.