Iceland's glaciers could disappear by 2200. Scientists predict glaciers in Iceland could melt by 2200 if the global warming trend continues. But by averaging historical data, says Titus, scientists can literally watch the tide roll in over the centuries. Every 100,000 years or so, the earth settles in for an ice age, taking its cue from changes in its orbit around the Sun. During long, elliptical orbits, the earth cools, and water is stored on the continents in the form of ice.
Sea level falls.
During shorter, circular orbits, the earth warms up, and the ice returns to the sea, causing a rise in sea level. These warming spells, called interglacial periods, typically last about 10,000 years. If the ice sheets on Greenland melted, that alone could raise sea level by 20 feet.