Global Warming

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             Chances are good that we will see more temperature extremes in many parts of the world because of global warming. This will be especially true in summer time, when temperatures are predicted to soar to all new highs. It is also possible that changes in temperature could cause dangerous kinds of weather, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, to become more powerful, more destructive, and more common. The strength of hurricanes, for example, is largely determined by the temperature of the ocean waters over which these storms develop. Some atmospheric scientists think that as global warming raises water temperatures near the oceans surface, hurricanes will have the potential to develop into even more ferocious storms than they are now.
             Scientists are also certain that global warming will cause sea levels to rise. As temperatures increase worldwide, two things will occur to affect sea levels. First, as the surface water of the oceans gradually warm, the seawater will expand. This phenomenon is known as thermal expansion - as water is heated, it expands and takes up more space. It is predicted that thermal expansion alone will cause an increase of sea level of many inches. But as global temperatures continue to increase, it is assured that mountain glaciers, as well as the great masses of ice and snow that cover Greenland and the continent of Antarctica, will melt. As the ice covering these lands melts, huge quantities of water will flow into the oceans. This is expected to raise the level of the world's oceans by many feet. These rising sea levels could flood coastal cities, wash away beaches, destroy expensive property, cover valuable crop land, and drive millions of people out of there homes. Many islands will eventually be in danger of disappearing altogether. A rise in sea level of more than two feet could cover large portions of many low-lying countries. In Bangladesh, for instance, at least one-fifth of the entire country could be underwater if sea levels rose just three feet.