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.
Peninsula lush tree growth and a maritime climate similar to Buxton, but reversed. Glaciation would only be on the interior of the continent below 60 S (which is now 80 S). Heavy permanent population with large cities. It's likely over 50 million people would inhabit the continent. Coasts outside the peninsula between 46 and 51 S possibly a maritime climate, with subarctic on the interior to 55-57 S, tundra down to the low-mid 60s, and glaciation from there.
I think the terrain of the Antarctic Peninsular wouldn't be in favor of large cities, I doubt that the population would be any higher than 4 million at best.
I think the terrain of the Antarctic Peninsular wouldn't be in favor of large cities, I doubt that the population would be any higher than 4 million at best.
I agree that the Antarctic peninsula will not be able to support large cities due to the terrain but do you really think Esperanza Base will be that warm in winter? That climate looks like a gloomier version of Victoria, BC. I think the waters around there will be choked with icebergs due to them constantly flowing down the glaciers from the interior to the coast around the edges of the Antarctic ice sheet similar to Greenland. The waters around the continent will still be very cold. It will still be oceanic near the top of the peninsula I think but borderline.
I agree that the Antarctic peninsula will not be able to support large cities due to the terrain but do you really think Esperanza Base will be that warm in winter? That climate looks like a gloomier version of Victoria, BC. I think the waters around there will be choked with icebergs due to them constantly flowing down the glaciers from the interior to the coast around the edges of the Antarctic ice sheet similar to Greenland. The waters around the continent will still be very cold. It will still be oceanic near the top of the peninsula I think but borderline.
Yes of course the wider Antarctic continent would have a cooling effect especially during winter. If this is the case then the whole of the Southern Hemisphere would be much cooler in the winter. BUT the northern tip of the Peninsular would be at 43s so I can't see how winters would be that dramatically cold.
Yes of course the wider Antarctic continent would have a cooling effect especially during winter. If this is the case then the whole of the Southern Hemisphere would be much cooler in the winter. BUT the northern tip of the Peninsular would be at 43s so I can't see how winters would be that dramatically cold.
True.. but look at a place like St. John's, Newfoundland. It's on the eastern edge of an island jutting out into the Atlantic at 47N and has a similar kind of set up to the Antarctic peninsula in this scenario and is colder in winter.
I don't think the Antarctic peninsula will be quite that cold in winter due to being more oceanic and at a lower latitude but still quite cold... like the Alaska panhandle.
Ketchikan or Yakutat, AK probably would be closest I think to Antarctic peninsula in this scenario
So maybe winters will may colder 7c/0c with harsh cold snaps -1c with potential for very snowy conditions at times?
Yes something like that.. Do you think it will be only the peninsula that is inhabited in this scenario or do you think there will be other communities around the periphery of the continent itself? What kind of climate do you think these communities will have. My opinion is that there will be small communities and they will have climates similar to somewhere like Nain, Labrador
Yes something like that.. Do you think it will be only the peninsula that is inhabited in this scenario or do you think there will be other communities around the periphery of the continent itself? What kind of climate do you think these communities will have. My opinion is that there will be small communities and they will have climates similar to somewhere like Nain, Labrador
Yes places further south down to 50s small towns and villages may cling the coasts. 47s Antarctica would be subpolar oceanic very snowy especially along western coastal areas. Temperatures in winter around -14c/-20c high cloud amounts and very mobile weather conditions, alternating between frigid temperatures to less cold temperatures. Another pointer is most of Antarctica would still be a cold desert so precipitation could be quite low in the inland areas. Summers would be like hell no higher than 14c similar to Reykjavik and even that's an overestimate.
Another interesting question... a bit unrelated to climate is what the settlement history of the Antarctic continent would be in this scenario. Would there be an indigenous population? How would they have adapted to the climate? If not, when would Europeans or others "discover" the Antarctic peninsula which would be at the same longitude as the Kerguelen Islands.
No doubt that Europeans would discover Antarctica.
However what would be even more interesting would be the flora and fauna. Ancient tree species and animals it would be like a prehistoric world. I'd think that the new "country" would be like a southern hemisphere version of Iceland, very unique, somewhat isolated, beautiful and sparse.
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.
