Europe will freeze! Actually, not all of it, and where will the newly-frozen move to?
It’s a fact: there’s a disaster of oceanic proportions already in process that will affect the Northern Hemisphere, and especially Europe. This disaster is the shutting down of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a massive river within the Atlantic Ocean that carries warm water northward from equatorial regions. This circulation is vital for keeping parts of Europe habitable in its current form. And, according to scientists writing in The Conversation, it’s fading away.
It might sound callous to some, but there are people with an eye to the future looking at opportunities in the turmoil. Let’s take a look at the expected situation, and then some possibilities.
How bad will it be, and when?
The current model shows parts of Norway chilling by as much as 20C over a few decades after the circulation reaches a tipping point. The authors point out that rain patterns will also shift, and that the UK, for example, will also become much drier. However, some parts of the Northern Hemisphere seem destined to suffer less than others when the circulation stops.
From what the science people say, we can reach this tipping point as early as 2025, or as late as mid-century. It is easily conceivable that even if coastal Norway fails to plunge into an almost perpetual freeze in our lifetimes, those being born now will almost certainly experience it.
Where the silver lining could be
The end of the circulation will bring varied results, based on geography alone. A map created by one of the authors shows southern Europe cooling by a few degrees. It could make some places even nicer to live in than they are now. Let’s take a look at a few regions outside of the major urban centers that could jump if the newly frozen decide to move south.
Celje, Slovenia
If temperatures are dropping, then narrow alpine valleys are not prime real estate. However, the major plains areas of Slovenia might become very crowded indeed, as the drop is expected to be only a few degrees. Currently, the countryside around Celje is one of Europe’s southern-most centers of hops production. Pinot grigio is also common there. The cost of living in Slovenia is lower than in Austria or Italy and the Alps are nearby for skiing or hiking. However, air links leave much to be desired. Check out https://www.realestate-slovenia.info/
Biella, Italy
Located at the foot of the Alps and equidistant from Turin and Milan, Biella might seem to cold and wet at times to consider it for an escape from the cold. After all, the valleys of northern Italy are known for the occasional torrential flooding. If Europe is going to be a generally drier place, however, then Biella might be perfect.
Can you find any of Italy’s famous 1 euro houses in the Biella area? Probably not, but you can find old farmhouses (with old farmhouse problems) dotted throughout the countryside. Search for them on the highly addictive https://www.immobiliare.it/en/
Agen, France
Roughly half-way between Bourdeaux and Toulouse, Agen is more affected by the Atlantic Ocean than the other two locations. As the authors do not share any data showing how this will change, we can only note that there is only a cooling expected of the same sort expected in the other locations.
Still for the snowbirds heading south permanently, Nouvelle-Aquitaine might become a destination. Beat the rush, and search on https://www.seloger.com/
