Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If the entire Appalachian mountain chain were suddenly around 4,000 feet taller on average- basically every peak in the range rising by 4,000 feet, how would this affect the climate of areas east of the mountains, on the eastern seaboard running from Maine to Georgia?
Remember, this would mean that the highest peaks would be over 10,000 feet in the southern Appalachians and ranges in New England. And even the foothills in places like Georgia would be over 7,000 feet. How would this affect weather and climate? Would we see big changes in the eastern sea board cities, or even southern cities like Raleigh, Charlotte and Atlanta?
Well assuming the major cities along I-95 and I-85 stay put where they are, summer and early autumn would have the greatest warm-up from the present in parts of NC and definitely VA northward. Winter and spring, not as much due to the storminess and back-door fronts in the Mid-Atlantic/NE in spring. Precipitation would be drastically reduced due to the added height obstacle cold fronts need to face, but perhaps not enough to the point some areas reach semi-arid status. Ironically, the added lift may strengthen bands in Nor'easters and definitely increase the area of heavy snows.
Ironically, the added lift may strengthen bands in Nor'easters and definitely increase the area of heavy snows.
Good post and that's the first thing I thought about... the VV would be nuts! But any Clipper or weak storm coming from the west would get torn apart.
I would also add the downslope of air would bring some frigid temps East of there so locations would be colder in the winter and vise versa in the summer with the warm downslope. Maybe we can use locations in the West (east of Rockies) to get an idea I guess. But the Ocean would create some fascinating and insane thermal gradient.
I've always wondered what the climate of Atlanta would be if we were located at 4000 feet instead of the 1000 feet we're at now. We'd certainly be a whole lot cooler, and probably a lot snowier in winter, especially with all that Gulf moisture being lifted 4000 feet in those winter storms. Summers would be a dream, I know that.
I would also add the downslope of air would bring some frigid temps East of there so locations would be colder in the winter and vise versa in the summer with the warm downslope. Maybe we can use locations in the West (east of Rockies) to get an idea I guess. But the Ocean would create some fascinating and insane thermal gradient.
Rockies would be rather different as you have the milder more oceanic influenced air on the west side and continental air on the east side there. In the summer the west side would have lots of hot and humid air, it would be rather wet. I would have assumed the mountains would block cold air, but perhaps you're right that the reverse would occur.
I feel like similar thread were created a while ago on this subject.
I've always wondered what the climate of Atlanta would be if we were located at 4000 feet instead of the 1000 feet we're at now. We'd certainly be a whole lot cooler, and probably a lot snowier in winter, especially with all that Gulf moisture being lifted 4000 feet in those winter storms. Summers would be a dream, I know that.
Just look at town like Highlands, NC. It's at about 4,000 feet and has a dreamy climate. I imagine Atlanta would be something like that, albeit a bit warmer since it's at a lower latitude
Good post and that's the first thing I thought about... the VV would be nuts! But any Clipper or weak storm coming from the west would get torn apart.
I would also add the downslope of air would bring some frigid temps East of there so locations would be colder in the winter and vise versa in the summer with the warm downslope. Maybe we can use locations in the West (east of Rockies) to get an idea I guess. But the Ocean would create some fascinating and insane thermal gradient.
It would be warmer year round. Downsloping air is always warmer, even in winter. Compare the temps in Binghamton and Scranton to NYC in January.
Precip will probably be less though overall as downsloping air is always warmer and drier.
It would be warmer year round. Downsloping air is always warmer, even in winter.
Precip will probably be less though overall as downsloping air is always warmer and drier.
Air at 10,000 feet is not warmer. So take cold winter air at 7000-10,000 feet, add a west or northwest flow,.. and swoosh...down comes the fridgid air with only one place to go..towards the coast. Also think about north/northeast winds channeling down the Eastern side of the mountains. We already know what CAD does as they are now...
The mountains would block some air from spreading out as it does now and in turn keeps it to the East side.
So here's a look at the current June 27, 2014 Temps & Winds at 10,000 feet.. This is the 700mb level. Upper air data can be found through this link.. It's 33-41° up there north of DC
Winds are pushing from the north... so something tells me if I had 10,000 foot tall mountains to my West on a day like today, I wouldn't be at 80° right now.
Reverse that now and think of south flowing air at surface or mid levels.. The East side would get torched I think because the mountains would block the air from spreading out.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
