California is likely to be hit hard by global warming in the coming century, according to a new study by scientists in the state. The study, sponsored by the Ecological Society of America and the Union of Concerned Scientists, warns that potential scenarios could include warm, wet winters that would bring both flooding and water shortages in the same year, more and bigger landslides, catastrophic wildfires, and an increase in outbreaks of exotic diseases. Winter temperatures in the state are expected to rise 5 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit by 2030 to 2050, and summer temperatures are expected to climb 1 to 2 degrees, the scientists say. Temperature increases could degrade many of the state’s ecosystems, including its old-growth forests, and threaten wildlife populations.
