A new study shows a worrying trend is underway: Entire continents could become significantly colder than they have been so far.
If you think back to the 2004 film now, The day after tomorrow looked like a typical Hollywood disaster movie.
That’s still true, but new research suggests it may not be all that far from the truth.
Granted, the research doesn’t predict an ice age that will freeze you to death in seconds or a natural disaster that will radically alter the world’s landscape, but it does highlight some worrying trends when it comes to temperatures.
In fact, in the worst case, climate change could plunge Europe into a deep freeze.
It’s a great movie to watch indoors when it’s raining heavily. (20th Century Studios)
Researchers from University College London have discovered that the Gulf Stream, which is essential for the flow of warm water, could be particularly sensitive to climate change.
If the Gulf Stream were to collapse, temperatures in Europe could drop dramatically, by as much as 15°C (27°F).
Lead researcher Dr Jack Wharton said: “If winds are weaker in the future, as suggested by a recent study using climate models, it could mean a weaker Gulf Stream and a cooler Europe.”
He also explained what scientists know about the last era when the continent was stuck and how the Gulf Stream functioned.
He said: “We found that the Gulf Stream was much stronger during the last ice age because of stronger winds across the subtropical North Atlantic.
“As a result, the Gulf Stream still moved a lot of heat north, even though the rest of the planet was much colder.”
This may be especially important if climate changes globally affect the Gulf Stream.
Professor Thornalley, co-author of the study, stressed in an interview with the Mail Online how important it is for the ocean to move heat around planet Earth.
Europe could see a significant drop in temperatures if the Gulf Stream collapses. (Getty Stock Image)
He said: “The ocean moves vast amounts of heat around the world – equivalent to the energy of millions of power stations. “Changing the strength of ocean currents can therefore change how much heat goes where. This changes our climate, and on shorter timescales our weather.”
While this is the worst-case scenario, it is important to note that there is no evidence that the Gulf Stream will stop working. It is just one part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a network of currents that pump hot water around the world.
Professor Thornalley added: He added: “There is the subtropical loop – which includes the Gulf Stream – and a subpolar loop, which transports heat further north to the Arctic.”
But the biggest concern remains that rising global temperatures could disrupt the engine of this subtropical loop.