Earth 100 million years ago looked very different than the Earth today, and the Earth 100 million years into the future will look even more different. Tracking one location through all these changes is an imprecise art, but it is interesting to consider how different places we think of today were in the past, and will be in the future.
The location where Barcelona, Spain, exists hasn't had quite the rapid movement that places like India and Australia have had, and doesn't appear to be setting a course to rocket elsewhere in the next 100 million years. There are some substantial changes about its location in relation to other land masses, and what kind of climate can be expected.
Present Day Barcelona, Spain
By staying at relatively the same latitude from 100 million years ago, and looking as if to stay in the same area into the future, I can rule out drastic changes like switching to southern hemisphere climates. However, 100 million years ago, the Iberian Peninsula appeared to be an island in a kind of archipelago.
100 Million Years Ago, Barcelona, Spain
In this map, it appears that Barcelona, Spain, exists on an island admist several other relatively large islands, with much open ocean around it, with substantially large continents existing just beyond those oceans. It appears, in my opinion, that Barcelona would have existed in a climate similar to what Japan experiences.
For 100 million years into the future, I found this map:
100 Million Years in the Future, Barcelona, Spain
What I gather from this map is that Barcelona will not do much in the way of traveling North or South, but will end up existing in a continental state, as opposed to its maritime one it experiences now. The Mediterranean Sea appears to be swallowed by the continents, taking away Barcelona's beach-front property, and trading it for long stretches of land. However, it is relatively close to the ocean, meaning the maritime effects won't disappear completely.
As a result, I have decided Barcelona in 100 million years will experience a climate like Sacramento, California. Sacramento is on the West side of a large continent, is relatively close to the open ocean, but is far enough inland that it is still a continental city.
The following are 3 climographs for the previous, current, and expected climates of Barcelona:
Current Barcelona
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| http://www.world-climates.com/city-climate-barcelona-spain-europe/ |
Weather patterns in Barcelona are currently influenced by the huge Atlantic Ocean that is relatively close. Being in the Northern hemisphere, Barcelona has the characteristic "frown" for temperature as you go through the year. The summer months are warm and the rainfall drops off to a degree, but in relation to other places on the planet, Barcelona doesn't receive much rain to begin with.
Past Barcelona (via Tokyo, Japan)
Barcelona in the past would be more like the climate of Tokyo, Japan during current times. The city is still located in the Northern hemisphere, giving it a "frown" shape for the average temperature on the climograph, but there is a change in the amount of rainfall the area experiences. Being surrounded by large water bodies in every direction, there is much more rainfall, especially through the summer months. Where Barcelona during current times tops out at 3.5 inches of rain during the fall months, now we see a value greater than 8 inches in the month of September. The average rainfall throughout the year is also much higher as a result of the weather patterns over the ocean having greater access to the city than current Barcelona, which has substantial landcover North, East, and West of it, not including the Mediterranean Sea.
Future Barcelona (via Sacramento, California)
The future of Barcelona, unfortunately, sees the removal of its beach-front property. As the continent of Africa crushes up against Europe, the Mediterranean Sea will disappear. This will take away a substantial amount of maritime climate, but its proximity to the Atlantic ocean will still diminish the overall continentality of Barcelona's climate, though it will still play a part. Once again, still remaining in the northern hemisphere, the temperature chart is a "frown," but the rain patterns have changed. There is very little rain during the summer months, which will result from the absence of the Mediterranean Sea, with more rain during the winter months. The amount of rain, however, will be similar to current Barcelona levels, toping out at a little above 3.5 inches.
Barcelona reminded me of a more diverse and international version of San Diego. Bright and sunny, warm and moist air, and a very laid-back attitude typical of a beach-side city. Seeing that Barcelona is going to lose the Mediterranean Sea is unfortunate, but I suppose nothing lasts forever.
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