Climate Catastrophe? Here's What the U.S. Could Look Like in 2100

Southeast: The Gulf Coast states, up to Carolina

What we could see in 2100: Hurricanes, wind damage, storm surges, flooding, extra sea level rise

The Southeastern states will experience less extreme temperature increases than northern and western states, but they will see stronger storms and find themselves more vulnerable to sea level rise. "All areas within the U.S. have not had similar rates of change," says Hoerling. "If you're sitting in the Southeast, you might scratch your head and say, ‘Where is global warming?'" While the year 2100 will show some increases in temperature for the southeast, so far that increase has been minimal, says Hoerling. "From 1951 to 2006, no net warming has occurred in the southeastern states," he says.

While temperature increase will be less dramatic, effects from sea level rise will be more so. "There are two major factors in terms of sea level rise," says Hurrell. "The first is that as the oceans warm, the water expands as it warms. This is called thermal expansion. The second is that more fresh water will be added to the oceans." Hurrell says that coastal areas in the Southeast will be under water, to the tune of two to three feet, unless we build levees and other systems to adapt to rising sea levels. Because of the same sea current patterns that will create more flooding in Northeastern states, Southeastern cities such as Miami can expect about 2 inches of flooding above the anticipated average global sea rise.

The Southeast can also expect more extreme hurricanes, similar to the conditions that came together around Hurricane Katrina. "There are three main risks," says Trenberth. "There is risk for increased wind damage, risk for a storm surge, which is very coastal and exacerbated by higher sea levels, and then a bit further inland, there is an increased risk of flooding from torrential rains."

Waterborne diseases such as cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis are more likely to fester in a flood zone and will create additional risk to public health, says Knowlton.