Union of Concerned Scientists

click to see Migrating Climates

Over the next century the climate of the Great Lakes region will grow warmer and overall drier. Nighttime temperatures are expected to warm more than daytime temperatures and extreme heat will be more common. Average precipitation levels are unlikely to change, but the seasonal patterns of precipitation will vary greatly increasing in winter, and decreasing in the summer. Overall the region may grow drier as a result of increased evaporation and transpiration that is not compensated for by precipitation.

These changes in temperature and precipitation will strongly alter how the climate feels to us.

The Migrating Climates feature provides a dramatic way of visualizing the effects of climate projections by estimating where Ontario and selected Great Lakes states will have "moved" climatically over the next century. These analyses are based on projections of seasonal average temperature and precipitation and do not consider the extremes or variability in projected climate changes. They also do not reflect the effect that major topographical features may have upon local climate. To learn more about the emission scenarios and calculations this feature is based on see the technical appendices.