Great Smoky Mountains: Climate Change Could Affect Region

Mid-morning peak in light rainfall appears as clouds and fog at Purchase Knob in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

By Douglas M. Main, OurAmazingPlanet Contributor

The shroud that envelopes the Great Smoky Mountains isn't actually smoke, it's a mist of water droplets that provides significant amounts of water to the area. Scientists didn't understand how significant a source of water this "light rainfall" was until a recent survey was conducted in the area.

The study has implications for understanding the area's watershed and how it might be affected by climate change.

People are often unaware that the Smokies have the highest annual rainfall in the southeastern United States, about 58 to 60 inches (147 to 152 centimeters), greater even than Florida's Everglades, which sees about 54 inches (137 cm) a year. But most of this rain is barely perceptible, misting rain, the new study has found.

"There's always a little bit of fog and low-level clouds and there's always a little bit of rain," said Ana Barros, an engineer at Duke University, who led the study of the Smokies' rainfall.

Barros, as part of the science team of NASA's Precipitation Measurement Missions that measure rainfall from space, trekked into the southern Appalachians to get better measurements of the light rainfall, which is difficult to characterize with satellites alone.

Beginning in 2007, Barros and her team installed a network of 32 science-grade rain gauge stations throughout the region, all above 3,280 feet (1,000 meters); before her work there were only 10 such gauges, and little detailed knowledge about local rainfall. At the same time Barros downloaded space-based precipitation measurements. By collecting data from the sky and ground, she was able to produce more accurate recordings than ever before.

Barros’ research shows that light rainfall is the dominant form of precipitation in the region, accounting for 50 to 60 percent of a year's total, governing the regional water cycle. By falling slowly and persistently, the rainfall infiltrates soil layers, percolating deeper than sudden rain events, recharging underground aquifers.

Her team’s findings broaden scientists' understanding of the hydrology and climate of the southern Appalachian headwaters, which is the water supply for the nearly 30 million people in Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

The results suggest the area may be more susceptible to climate change than thought; as temperatures rise, more of the fine droplets from light rain will evaporate in the air and fail to reach the ground. Lower elevations will have to contend with not only higher temperatures, but less cloud cover, Barros said.

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Comments

[Davidc Smith]

11:30 AM on 04/30/2012

The last time I was in Gatlinburg, there was more than enough car exhaust fumes to meet every need. I have little doubt there will continue to be haze in them thar mnts.

[Peace Walker]

11:13 PM on 04/29/2012

The question is also whether the Smokey Mountains will remain mountains; mountain top removal is destroying the whole range at a faster pace than anyone can possibly imagine. Lorax, oh lorax.....

[silverwolf13]

06:20 PM on 04/30/2012

This should, at any rate, squelch any notion of "Intelligent Design." What halfway intelligent designer would have put all those ugly mountains on top of all that beautiful coal?

But fear not. Soon, tourists will be driving freely across the flat, barren, treeless plains of West Virginia, western Virginia, and eastern Kentucky so that they can more quickly get to more interesting locations.

[oldebuzzard]

10:19 AM on 05/01/2012

There is zero coal in the Smokey Mountains..

[June25]

09:03 PM on 04/28/2012

We should be able to add a few coal fired power plants in the area to make up the difference.

[Gerald Villella]

08:43 PM on 04/28/2012

Well, if the "smoke" will dissipate as temperatures warm, then why hasn't anyone claimed that it has been disappearing over the last century as temperatures have risen? More speculative claims based on minimal data by the dwindling AGW cult.

[Exfl]

09:35 PM on 04/28/2012

Perhaps the effect of warming on cloud formation is a threshold effect and not a linear effect. Some of this is well beyond sixth grade science.

[Gerald Villella]

10:34 PM on 04/28/2012

So "perhaps" the "unsmoking" effect will suddenly begin rather than increasing perceptibly over time? Do you, or the scientists touting this "study" have anything better than "perhaps?" You would fail a 6th grade science test with that sort of speculation--unless you acknowledged it as such. Virtually all of these hysterical climate change headlines are weakly supported by hard data. But the scaremongers keep getting funding.

[Gasparilla]

10:13 AM on 04/29/2012

If you read the story there has been comparatively little study on this until lately. It's not exactly a bulletin that heat will evaporate small water droplets rather quickly. Which is why that morning fog everywhere burns off. You know, when the air heats up?

[tjconkster]

08:10 AM on 04/30/2012

You stated the case very well, simple and to the point...but your explanation will still go right over his head....

[fratricide08]

08:08 PM on 04/28/2012

This breaks my heart. I live in the area and can't imagine it any other way. We don't have a lot going for us in this area due to economic circumstances that have lasted generations but we're fiercely proud of not only our hospitality but most especially the land we're priviliged to call home. Unlike so many from this region, I have been blessed with the ability to travel overseas and obtain an education people anywhere would envy. In all my travels, only Lucerne, Switzerland captured my heart due to its natural beauty alone (it had BOTH mountains and the lake and that was irresistible!). Although, there are many mountain ranges nearby that are breathtaking the Smoky Mtns are special because they've been preserved and are home to so many species it rivals many rainforests.

I truly hope something can be done to preserve this precious eco-system and public lands.

[chango369]

09:20 PM on 04/28/2012

I was not aware of this until just now, but the Smoky Mtns are classified as a temperate rainforest.

[cstandri]

07:45 PM on 04/28/2012

We don't even need that, we get so much pollution from the Midwest and Canada that we already have the worst air in the country.

[Kenneth Bushway]

07:43 PM on 04/28/2012

I fail to realize how everyone can't get behind making the Earth greener, making sure harmful chemicals not put into air, water, and land? If you are religious, look at Christianity, its says clearly that humans were made to take care of Earth, built to sow its lands and tend to its wildlife. And those who are more interested in science, can see a clear line of evidence.
I think we should come together and work hard to repair the damage down anyway we can. Even if you don't believe in climate change, you should still care for the Earth and not be so willing to strip it down to nothing but dust and sand.

[WinslowWong]

07:27 PM on 04/28/2012

"The results suggest the area may be more susceptible to climate change than thought; as temperatures rise, more of the fine droplets from light rain will evaporate in the air and fail to reach the ground." Someone might want to inform all those folks living in equatorial jungles that the humidity they think they're experiencing is an illusion.

[sharonh]

07:29 PM on 04/28/2012

It's like they never heard of fog.

[WinslowWong]

07:51 PM on 04/28/2012

I thought about mentioning their startling lack of awareness that low level clouds, like their less altitudely challenged high flying brethren contained moisture, but realized that not everyone lives by the beach, and pointing that out could be seen as mean and or crass.

[sharonh]

07:26 PM on 04/28/2012

I almost feel as if climate change, in this case, is a euphemism for inability to stop the mining and topping of the mountains, which is still happening. Why isn't the immediate (and original) source of this "climate change" stopped? I often wonder at the power of a few over so many.

[SCboy]

07:14 PM on 04/28/2012

The Smoky Mountains are among the most beautiful places on earth. In the southern portion is a place called Cades Cove which is what I imagine the Garden of Eden must have looked like. If you have never been and it's possible for you to do it, what are you waiting for?

[mnyegele]

06:33 PM on 04/28/2012

I noticed from the map published by EDF that part of the Smoky Mountains have high concentrations of mercury emissions. I also can't help but wonder what will happen if the Republicans shut down the EPA and allow emissions that will create acid rain. How will this affect the region? What about mountaintop removal?

I might add that retrofitting coal-fired power plants actually will create about 100,000 jobs - so saving the environment can be a win-win proposition.

Do we really love America? Do we want to preserve its beauty for future generations? Or do we want turn this country into an ugly toxic waste dump with generations of sick children?

Saving the Smoky Mountains should be a good reason to re-elect President Obama and to fire the GOP.

[Jim Milks]

10:34 AM on 04/30/2012

You can go to the top of Clingmans Dome to see the combined effects of acid rain and invasive species on the spruce/fir forest at the summit.

[Tim Springer]

03:52 PM on 08/08/2012

@mnyegele. |
I agree with all of your statements, facts, and/or opinions based on all of these climatological & geographical problems within our Country.

[mnyegele]

06:27 PM on 04/28/2012

I always thought that some areas of this country would not be affected by global climate change. This article proves I was wrong. This is another reason we must act to save the planet.

Step one, we must elect leaders who believe that global climate change exists. That means we must re-elect President Obama and fire the entire GOP. We are running out of time. We must act now.

[alteredstory]

07:29 PM on 04/28/2012

That's the problem with global climate change - it really is global. There's not a single spot on the planet that will be unaffected.

People on the Right say that we're just grasping when we try to point out how climate change is contributing to heat waves AND snow storms AND food prices, and so on.

What we're really trying to do is point out that the reason we're so scared is that it really IS global, and it really DOES affect everything on the surface of the earth, and nothing this big has ever happened in the history of humanity.

[sharonh]

07:32 PM on 04/28/2012

We must be energy efficient and not dependent on cartels. Why do you think the price of gas is up? They know their days are numbered--not soon enough to suit me though.

[Galaxie]

07:37 PM on 04/28/2012

Why do you think the price of gas is up? We allow it to be exported.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2011-12-31/united-states-export/52298812/1

[Matt Chernesky]

06:21 PM on 04/28/2012

I live in Northeastern Ohio and last year our family rented a cabin in the Smokey Mountains. It was stunning!

[forestlady]

06:01 PM on 04/28/2012

I live just north of the Smokies, in the Clinch Mountains. We have 180 degree view of the Clinch Mts and often, mist settles over them, as they do in the Smokies. It's unbelievably beautiful and magical. I hate what's happening to the Smokies, they have lost so much flora and fauna. And of course, the chemtrails aren't helping any of this. This whole area is very beautiful and magical.

[This American]

05:58 PM on 04/28/2012

It says something, about the fact that this is on the "green" page. It seems that HP is about to abandon the separate "Climate Change" page, some of the "headlines" there are a month old. AGW websites are folding up all over the net. The party is over, the gravy train is at the end of the line. RIP AGW

[alteredstory]

07:29 PM on 04/28/2012

You just never get outside of your bubble, do you?

[This American]

09:02 PM on 04/28/2012

Your bubble has burst. What is the next scam you will fall for? Biodiversity perhaps? Your kind careens through life, falling for one con-job after another. As a humanitarian, I really do feel sorry for you.