How fast could it take for the East Coast of USA to be flooded from global warming?

Question

My sister told me that global warming could make the East Coast be under twenty feet of water in as little as one year. Is this possible/probable? I was under the assumption that nothing this bad would happen in my lifetime ( not that I want it to happen at all). I am worried!

Answer 1

To the first question, no, imposible. Sea and ocean level will increase according to most pessimistic estimations around 3.3 feet along the next 20 years.

Something bad is already happening right now, and many worse things will happen along your lifetime. Therefore, your assumption is not correct.

Just a few examples:
- The air you breathe contains the higest levels of CO2, CH4 and other gases in the last 650.000 years. Those levels incresed along the last century, in the last 50 years its growing is more and more accelerated. No scientist has predicted that those levels will decrease in the near future. When will they cause dies? The answer is not known, maybe it is causing today through respiratory tract deceases. but, for sure, there is a mortal level.

- World has less fresh water for drinking and irrigation today than 50 years ago and 100 years ago, and number of human beings is much higher

- Climate changes are evident (except for some american people and for people related to oil industry). It implies more extreme climates. Scientists tell opinions and their probabilities, but models are so complex than nobody can state a prediction without a reasonable doubt . Except some people in USA who states firmly (without a reasonable doubt) that it is a natural cycle and that nature will fix the problem. Obviously we must respect people who believe that God or nature will fix our problems, but we don t necesarily have to share their belief if we don t want. The rest of the world finished their discussions, and since years ago is actively working to reduce those levels in the atmosphere.

Answer 2

the threat of global warming is a threat only in the eyes of the mass media and is played out to be the biggest threat to humanity. For ages the climate as a threat to humanity has been used by the media to conjure up fear in the public; forty years ago global cooling was the big thing. The possibility of the whole east coast becoming flooded by any sort of climate change in as little as one year is complete scientific nonsense, whether it be global warming or not this type of change would take hundreds or thousands of years.
To fully describe this whole global warming malarky on yahoo answers would be impossible, have a look at this website www.friendsofscience.org and you will see a whole different side to this frenzy that the media will not show.

most of these people above have obviously believe everything on tv. Just an interesting fact you can say to anyone that has solar panels (at home) to produce electricity in an effort to be green.-
they took more energy (and carbon emissions) than they will ever produce in their lifetime- so much for environmentally friendly

Answer 3

I am not trying to sound negative but depending on how much Co2 we put into the ozone, it could be well before your lifetime is over. For example the ice caps are melting like 1000 times faster than what most pessimistic scientists thought. I seen a chart that showed how the levels of Co2 in the air over the last 300 years. (They can do this with big tubes of frozen ice samples they get from greenland). Our Co2 levels are at least 100% higher than what they ever have been in our history coinciding perfectly with the invention of the automobile. If you want really detailed info watch the movie "an inconvenient truth". Its very eye opening. As far as a time frame I can't say for sure. And as far as all the people who say its being made up I'd say: well you must work for the oil or automobile industry.

Answer 4

Once the ice caps start melting the new water formed would cause more of the ice to melt.. This is similar to a chain reaction. All this water would have to go somewhere. There wouldnt be much warning before it started but once it did it would only take from 6-20 months for the east cost to be under atleast some water. But once it starts the East coast isnt all that would be covered. The ice caps melting would cause sea level to rise a huge amount and about 60% of the united states would besubmurged. Its very very bad.

Answer 5

The estimates I've heard about global warming/polar melting point there being several quadrillion gallons of water, which could raise global sea levels between 20 and 80 feet.

But since this will most likely take at least 50 years to play out noticeably, it's probably okay to invest in beach-front property (but get some scuba gear, just in case).

Answer 6

Don't worry .Global warming is a lie that is worrying many people. What if I told u the sky is falling what evidence would it take to converse you. The evidence on the green house gases is not evidence. The great CO2 problem saw corrected a few million years ago when Mother nature introduced green plants. The plants take in CO2 and give us O2 . That is how plants gets it's food. So the problem never existed in our life time .

Answer 7

If the ice of the North and South poles would melt:
Arctic ice is floating. Its melting would have no consequences for the sea level.
Antarctic is different, as the ice is covering a continent. Therefore it will affect sea level. But because of the ratio between the surface of Antarctica to that of all the oceans, the increase of sea level would be just a few feet.

Answer 8

maximum of Canada is supported via very deep permafrost. as a results of fact the permafrost melts, not basically will they launch lots extra methane and CO2 than guy's contributions however the land could cave in. it somewhat is extremely attainable for lots of Canada to return to the shallow in land sea it as quickly as became. sure, Canada would desire to difficulty as a results of fact it won't basically be warmer climate. Canada opted out of Kyoto as a results of fact with the pine beetles surviving countless heat winters without die off, 80% of the BC pine forests have been killed, the rotting timber are actually liberating 5 cases the CO2 produced via all Canadian vehicles. What became as quickly as a credit to Canada below Kyoto grew to alter right into an excellent penalty which might would desire to be made up via mark downs in industry, this made the Kyoto settlement impossible for Canada to fulfill.