From Alternative History
Predictions of the results of a nuclear exchange from the late 1970s and early 1980s prove fairly accurate. In addition to the initial death toll, subsequent mortality rates due to fall-out, out-of-control fires, starvation, dehydration, and unchecked disease add another 700 million lost, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. The predictions of a "nuclear winter," however, come up short. Only a 10°F. drop is noted, and as the attack occurred going into the late fall, it had no major effect on typical weather patterns. The dust cover blocked out the sun for several days, but within a week, it dissipated and cloud patterns returned to normal by mid-October. By contrast, later in the Summer of 1984, predictions of a "nuclear summer" do come true, as nitrogen oxides and a reduced ozone layer raised temperatures to an average high 10-25°F. over normal.
[edit] Effects of Doomsday on Earth's climate
- Nuclear Winter, though feared, did not occur.
- A restructuring of the atmospheric cells because of the war, causes monsoon type weather up to the horse latitudes -- the Polar cells and Ferrell Cells merging, and the Equatorial Hadley cells merging together, eliminating the doldrums.
- Increased rainfall in the affected regions result in the filling of endorheic basins, producing a new version of Lakes Lahontan, Bonneville, and other lakes throughout the world.
- The Caspian and Aral Seas are gradually restored due to the increasing wet weather and also destruction of the irrigation systems in the area that were draining water away pre-DD
- Changes in regions that would otherwise be deserts are now becoming lush.
- Examples: Deserts of Utah, Nevada, Arizona, etc. The Sahel and a resurgence of Lake Chad. The Sahara, while not becoming a paradise, with care, is becoming a livable place in some areas.
- Redirection of the Nile in Egypt and the creation of Lake Qattara by the Greeks.
- Increasing glaciation in the mountains offsets the rise in temperature, somewhat.
- Increasing glaciation and freshwater bodies (Lakes Eyre, Lahontan, Bonneville, etc.) results in a lowering of the sea level (minimal) and an increase in salinity (minimal).
[edit] See also
