how would a heated up climate by 1 degree cel cause less water?

Question

i know global warming is bad, but im not talking about its effect, but rather im curious as to how the melting of ice would cause less consumable water. like, doesnt melted water flow to the river?

Answer 1

Great question. The problem is rain. It's not less rain overall, but less rain where we now grow crops. Two reasons.

Rain falls when cold air from the North meets warm moist air from the South. As the world warms, the boundary where that happens most moves North. So more rain falls in the far north, especially the polar regions and less farther south, where most of the farming is done. The difference is not huge, but it's easily enough to seriously damage agriculture. Africa is especially vulnerable to this one, and they have enough trouble feeding themselves now.

The second factor is that winter snow in the mountains melts earlier and the water runs off before prime growing season. That will cause problems in places like the Pacific Northwest area of the US.

A great book which explains all this and more is "The Weather Makers"

http://www.amazon.com/Weather-Makers-Changing-Climate-Means/dp/0871139359/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-3714892-4628862?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175451041&sr=8-1

Projected precipitation patterns change:

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf Page 16

Answer 2

I havn't done much water reaserch concerning global warming (i've done a good lot on other aspects), but I think that when all the ice melts, it is going to flow to the sea. Thus, it will end up with salt in it. I think that is what the problem is. If you find out more, let me know!

Answer 3

Increased evaporation due to the larger surface area of the bodies of water. The bodies of water will increase in size due to the increased ice melt. Also the weather systems will be affected to the point that areas normally receiving regular rain, will now get less rain and more high heat days, evaporation.

Answer 4

Once it flows out to the sea, it's gone and we can't use it again. So while they are melting we get a higher than average flow and once they are gone we get a lower than average flow. A 1 degree increase in temperature would increase the rate of water evaporation out of all bodies of water which puts more water vapor into the air, but not enough to make up for the loss of flow once the glaciers/ice is gone.

Added in response: I only meant that the freshwater mixes with the saltwater. Once they mix, you can't unmix them And note that I talked about evaporation further down. I assumed that everyone knew that evaporation occurs. I wanted to put it in the context of the question asked. Thanks for making me clarify myself though. I hate it when I am too unclear for folks.

Answer 5

the climate is slowly but surely raising in temperature. the melting of ice destroys the homes of animals that can only live in that certain climate (i.e. penguins). also all that melted water does flow into rivers which flows into oceans, and eventually, its gonna flow all over the land. we will flood!!!!!!! everything effects everything

Answer 6

In an effort to correct "Ignorant Anthony", 1 Degree Celcius is actually 1.8 degrees F. NOT 4-5 Degfrees, as he claimed.

the formula is quite easy: to find "F" from "C", take the "C" temp, * by 1.8, and add 32. try it with the extremes- 0 & 100 "C". 0*1.8+32 = 32. 100*1.8+32=212. freezing, and boiling points.

its this level of scary ignorance that causes so many people to believe so many wrong things...

by the way- that temp. increase, over the last 100 years, has been 1 deg. "F", so only about 0.56 deg. "C". HARDLY worth worrying about.

Answer 7

Celsius is different than farhenheight, 1 degre for celsiuos is like 4 -10 degree for farenheight

Answer 8

"Once it flows out to the sea, it's gone and we can't use it again"

OK Andrew this is 5th Grade science my friend, it's called EVAPORATION.

Answer 9

dominoe effect