Climate Change Impacts on Water and Weather Patterns

Water Vapor Concentration

Increases from 0% at -30°C to 30% at 30°C.

Temperature Increase

Higher temperatures lead to increased water vapor.

Seasonal Temperature Rise

Average seasonal temps rose 2°F from 1900 to 2021.

Precipitation Variability

Changes range from -15% to +15% due to climate.

Drought in West U.S.

Less precipitation causes drought conditions in the West.

Increased Precipitation East U.S.

Warmer temperatures lead to more precipitation in the East.

New York Temperature Rise

NY temperatures increased by 1.4°C since 1900.

Global Temperature Rise

Global temperatures rose by 1.1°C since 1900.

Sea Level Rise

Sea levels have risen over 20 cm in 100 years.

Predicted Sea Level Rise

Estimated rise of 8 feet by 2100.

Ocean Warming

Small factor contributing to sea level rise.

Melting Ice Caps

Major factor contributing to sea level rise.

Hurricane Power Index

Higher ocean temperatures correlate with hurricane strength.

Storm Surges

Rising sea levels magnify storm surges during storms.

Coastal Inundation

Rising sea levels lead to flooding of coastal areas.

Salinity Increase

Rising sea levels increase salinity of drinking water.

Wastewater Leakage

Rising sea levels can cause wastewater contamination.

Lake Effect Snow

Forms when cold air moves over warm water.

Great Lakes Snowfall

Warm water meets cold air, generating increased snowfall.

Decline of Saline Lakes

Major decreases in water volume over past 140 years.

Los Angeles Aqueduct Impact

Diverted water led to drying of Owens and Mono Lakes.

Downwind

Dry air warms as it descends, forming deserts.

Snowmelt

Water from melting snow, crucial for drinking.

Owens Lake

Dried in 1926, causing toxic dust storms.

Dust Storms

Over 35 storms annually from Owens Valley.

Lake Owens Depth

Reduced from 30 ft to 2 m.

As Concentration

50 ppm arsenic in Lake Owens dust.

EPA Dust Control

Managed vegetation and flooding to reduce dust.

Flooding Cost

Dust control efforts cost $2.5 billion.

Mono Lake

Environmental group fought against water diversion.

Great Salt Lake Elevation

Highest point at 4,198 ft.

Dead Sea Depth

Lowest point on Earth at -1,410.8 ft.

Dead Sea Water Loss

Lost 40m in 40 years, steep decline.

Jordan River Impact

Reduced Dead Sea inflow to 10% of normal.

Glacial Ice

Densely packed ice that raises sea levels.

Glacier Accumulation

Ice growth from snowfall exceeding melting.

Glacier Ablation

Ice loss from melting exceeding snowfall.

Glacier Dynamics

Static, advancing, or receding based on balance.

Glacial Ice Movement

Microscopic shifts in ice cause glacier movement.

Melting Ice Caps

Contributes to rising sea levels globally.

Greenland Ice Sheet

Has lost ~5000 gigatons since 2002.

Sea Level Rise

Melting ice contributes to global sea level increase.

Paris Climate Accord

Aims to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Current Global Warming

1.1°C increase since pre-industrial times.

Albedo Feedback

Ice reflects sunlight, reducing Earth's temperature.

Arctic Sea Ice Extent

Decreased by ~12,000 km² from 1980-2010.

Ice Cores

Analyze ancient ice for greenhouse gas levels.

Hydropower Contribution

Provides 15% of the world's energy.

Hydropower Generation

Produced by falling water spinning turbines.

3 Gorges Dam

Largest dam in the world, located in China.

Reservoirs

Store water for hydroelectric power generation.

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

Algae overgrowth producing toxins affecting ecosystems.

Nutrient Pollution

Caused by runoff from agriculture and fertilizers.

Lake Effect Snow

Snow produced when cold air moves over warm lakes.

Owens Lake

Diverted water led to its drying by 1926.

Hurricane Formation

Low pressure systems forming over warm waters.

Nor'easter

Storms along the east coast from Sept to Apr.

Greenland Sea Level Contribution

Contains ~25 ft of potential sea level rise.

Antarctic Ice Sheet

Contains ~197 ft of potential sea level rise.

Glaciers Sea Level Contribution

Contain ~1.6 ft of potential sea level rise.

Methane and CO₂

Trapped in glacial formations, contributing to warming.

Ice Albedo Effect

Melting ice reduces Earth's reflectivity, increasing warming.

PM10 dust

Particulate matter causing major health hazards.

Arsenic levels

Measured at 50 ppm and 150 ppm in regions.

Dust trap samples

Contain 10-50 ppm of particulate matter.

Control Measures

Strategies to mitigate environmental damage.

Gravel

Used to control dust and erosion.

Vegetation

Helps stabilize soil and reduce dust.

Shallow flooding

Technique to minimize dust emissions.

Great Salt Lake

Source of brine shrimp industry, environmental issues.

Lake decline

Great Salt Lake has declined 20 ft.

Bird migration disruption

Environmental changes affecting bird movement patterns.

Antelope Island

Location where prey access has increased.

Jordan River diversion

Reduced Dead Sea inflow by 10%.

Aral Sea

Once the 4th largest lake, now diminished.

Syr Darya and Amu Darya

Rivers diverted for cotton farming.

Cryosphere

Includes all snow and ice-related environments.

Mountain Glacier

Frozen rivers of ice flowing downhill.

Glacier retreat

Caused by warming, not snowfall decrease.

Ice Sheets

Large ice masses on Greenland and Antarctica.

Glacier Mass Balance

Annual snow accumulation versus ice loss.

Glacier retreat statistics

1.5°C leads to 109,000 glaciers lost.

Sea level rise

Projected increase due to glacier melting.

Sea Level Rise

Increase in ocean levels due to melting ice.

Greenland Ice Sheet

Melting contributes 24.3 ft to sea level rise.

Antarctic Ice Sheet

Melting contributes 197 ft to sea level rise.

Ice Streams

Flow of ice from Greenland and Antarctica to shelves.

Ice Shelves

Floating extensions of ice sheets, vulnerable to warming.

Permafrost

Soil or sediment below 0°C for over 2 years.

Oldest Permafrost

Frozen for up to 700,000 years.

Permafrost Depth

Ranges from 3 ft to 4,900 ft (1,500 m).

Carbon Sink

Permafrost stores large amounts of dead biomass.

Thawing Permafrost

Releases carbon dioxide or methane into atmosphere.

Vostok Station

Site for drilling deep ice cores for air data.

Greenland Ice Loss

330 gigatons of ice lost annually since 2003.

Geothermal Energy

Heat energy from the Earth's interior.

The Geysers

World's largest geothermal field in California.

Geothermal Capacity

Over 4 gigawatts, powering 3 million homes.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems

Human-made reservoirs for electricity generation.

Geothermal Heat Pumps

Use ground as a heat sink for buildings.