2006-12-14 03:10:26 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Yes it could.
There is a stream of warm water that is flowing from the carribean sea to the shores of Norway.
Without this stream the temperature could drop by 12 degrees Celsius in Europe and this would also have an impact on the rest of the northern hemisphere.
What does this have to do with global warming?
Well when the ice caps melt (due to global warming) then a lot of unsalted water is dropped in the ocean. This layer of water floats on top of the ocean and blocks the passage of the warm water stream.
This stream is already slowing down right now, and this happened before the other ice ages too.
Once the stream stops there is no garantie that it will ever start again.
2006-12-14 03:18:13 · answer #1 · answered by anton3s 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a theory that global warming could effect the Gulf Stream, which is a big factor in warming the UK and Europe. If the current stopped flowing, bringing warm water to the coasts there would be a dramatic cooling.
2006-12-14 03:20:53 · answer #2 · answered by sngcanary 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
anton3s is right on. But be aware that, before that ice age sets in, Earth will reach unprecedented warming. So do not expect the ice age to make everything better before it gets worse.
What we industrialized human polluters have done is set Earth's cooling-warming cycles into extremes that have never been reached since life began on Earth. Thus, the warming cycle is expected to max out "off the charts" at temperatures never before felt on our planet since life began. One can only expect the cooling cycle to min out with temperatures below previous minimums that caused past ice ages. [See source.]
2006-12-14 03:42:49 · answer #3 · answered by oldprof 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
sure just like global cooling can cause glaciers to melt.
2006-12-14 03:20:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Some scientist think so
2006-12-14 03:17:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋