Geoffrey Hinga

What Would Happen if Antarctica Completely Melted?

What Would Happen if Antarctica Completely Melted? The rising ocean levels would lead to a complete reshaping of the coastlines across all continents on Earth. This would result in the formation of inland seas and the flooding of rivers, creating new bodies of water in areas where major cities once stood. The devastating consequences would be evident as entire nations would be engulfed by the swelling oceans. The melting of Antarctica, in particular, would have a catastrophic impact. To fully comprehend the extent of this impact and the survival prospects of certain populations, it is crucial to understand the consequences of a total meltdown of the ice surrounding Antarctica. Although Antarctica is not entirely frozen, a significant portion of its mass consists of snow and ice. The Western Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Eastern Antarctic Ice Sheet are the two main ice sheets in Antarctica. The Western Antarctic Ice Sheet alone holds enough frozen water to cause a substantial rise in sea levels worldwide if it were to completely melt. It is estimated that the sea levels would increase by approximately 3.2 meters or 10.5 feet if the entire Western Antarctic Ice Sheet were to melt and the resulting waters flowed into the ocean.