The Guardian has an okay article (link above) about what may end up happening to a lot of people due to the climate change underway from global warming. I had to wonder though about what will happen with the population shifts here in the States wrt to the changing climate. We know, or think we know, some of the oncoming effects for the US.
First is that the precipitation for the nation as a whole is going to become more catastrophic, or perhaps monsoonal would be a better word. This is irrespective of region: this will happen in the South, in the West, and in the East. Midwest too for that matter. When it comes, it's going to come in droves. We also know the temperature is going to go up. it will be regional again, but most everywhere in the US is going to climb in temperature. There's getting around it (unless you're in the Midwest for some oddball reason). Finally we have everywhere that's a coastal region at least is going to be facing sea level rise: how much depends on your Doomsday Scenario Meter, but locals have been talking 9m or 30 ft.
Out West, we're going to lose our snowpacks. This is going to devastating for all populations that depend on water from the runoff. It's going to be, frankly, depressing for my home state of New Mexico. If you depend on aquifers for water, things are not so bright too. NM has been, frex, draining theirs at a rate well beyond any dream of replacement...and its population for the whole state is less than that of the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Imagine what would happen should the Colorado River go seasonal. Beyond the ecological damage, just imagine what would happen to, oh, perhaps, agriculture in SoCal? The whole of the West is set to get trashed wet matters-wise because of that pesky snow pack issue. However that's not the only place.
The South is probably going to get a LOT more hurricanes of greater intensity. The last few seasons have already had a nontrivial effect on the population of the Gulf Coast, Katrina aside, but in addition to. Katrina level events are going to get more frequent. I once speculated that we'd see a Southern Bunker Gentile style develop architecturally, but that may not happen at all. How many people are going to want to stay? Then there's the sea level rise.
Don't Worry about Katrinas and New Orleans, it'll be below the waves soon enough anyways.
All of this, to me suggests that the population will move to the coasts and to the north. The SW is going to be abandoned, by and large. It'll make for some interesting ghost town settings in the future, I am sure. As a retirement place, I'd not recommend it, unless you like going Fremen. The Midwest ought to gain (boggle) too.
What's Wisconsin with 35 million people going to be like, Carlos? ;)
Anyways, this is just something I've typed up while waiting for our maintenance to wrap up. My part has been done for hours now, but I need to be here for the rest too as one of the GPFS experts hanging around.
First is that the precipitation for the nation as a whole is going to become more catastrophic, or perhaps monsoonal would be a better word. This is irrespective of region: this will happen in the South, in the West, and in the East. Midwest too for that matter. When it comes, it's going to come in droves. We also know the temperature is going to go up. it will be regional again, but most everywhere in the US is going to climb in temperature. There's getting around it (unless you're in the Midwest for some oddball reason). Finally we have everywhere that's a coastal region at least is going to be facing sea level rise: how much depends on your Doomsday Scenario Meter, but locals have been talking 9m or 30 ft.
Out West, we're going to lose our snowpacks. This is going to devastating for all populations that depend on water from the runoff. It's going to be, frankly, depressing for my home state of New Mexico. If you depend on aquifers for water, things are not so bright too. NM has been, frex, draining theirs at a rate well beyond any dream of replacement...and its population for the whole state is less than that of the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Imagine what would happen should the Colorado River go seasonal. Beyond the ecological damage, just imagine what would happen to, oh, perhaps, agriculture in SoCal? The whole of the West is set to get trashed wet matters-wise because of that pesky snow pack issue. However that's not the only place.
The South is probably going to get a LOT more hurricanes of greater intensity. The last few seasons have already had a nontrivial effect on the population of the Gulf Coast, Katrina aside, but in addition to. Katrina level events are going to get more frequent. I once speculated that we'd see a Southern Bunker Gentile style develop architecturally, but that may not happen at all. How many people are going to want to stay? Then there's the sea level rise.
Don't Worry about Katrinas and New Orleans, it'll be below the waves soon enough anyways.
All of this, to me suggests that the population will move to the coasts and to the north. The SW is going to be abandoned, by and large. It'll make for some interesting ghost town settings in the future, I am sure. As a retirement place, I'd not recommend it, unless you like going Fremen. The Midwest ought to gain (boggle) too.
What's Wisconsin with 35 million people going to be like, Carlos? ;)
Anyways, this is just something I've typed up while waiting for our maintenance to wrap up. My part has been done for hours now, but I need to be here for the rest too as one of the GPFS experts hanging around.
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