Regional Effects

Rapidly rising average global temperatures are now predicted with great confidence. There is less certainty about exactly how the climate will change in each region.

Most climate models suggest that a majority of arid areas, such as the U.S. Southwest, will be hotter and still drier than they are today. Most other areas will be warmer and wetter, but with altered timing of precipitation and snow melt. Virtually everywhere, summers will be significantly warmer, spring will arrive earlier, fall will arrive later, and water distribution and timing will change at least to some degree. While at least some change to your watershed is all but inevitable, you can still play an important role in determining how drastic those changes will ultimately be. Click on your region below to learn how global warming will affect your watershed.

Coastal Regions
Humid East and Midwest
Mountain West
Southwest

The U.S. EPA has prepared a summary of anticipated regional changes, with links to many additional sources of information. Other good sources of information include:

• National Center for Atmospheric Research
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Climate Institute
• California Department of Water Resources