Although it may seem ludicrous to think about heat waves while the northeast continues to get battered by snowstorms, scientists have revealed new predictions that indicate that the drastic weather across the country will only get worse as climate change gathers steam in the years to come.

According to the New York City Panel on Climate Change, an independent organization of climate scientists, new calculations on the rate of rising sea levels could spell trouble for the low-lying city. By 2100, the ocean could rise by as much as six feet, blowing previous speculations of a two- to four-foot increase out of the water.

The report also put forward a revised estimate on the temperature increases that can be expected in the next 85 years. The average temperature may rise by as much as 8.8 degrees Fahrenheit, and the number of New York City heat waves can be expected to more than triple by the end of the century. The unstable temperatures will also be more likely to produce an increase in extreme precipitation.

New York’s coast line has already suffered storm damage and alteration. To date, 26,000 linear feet of sand has been carried from the city and dumped along Staten Island by storms. This number, however, could seem insignificant when compared with the alteration that future weather may bring.

The report is meant to help the city better prepare for the effects of climate change, and to decrease its own contribution to global warming. New York City already has a goal in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050, and has begun a series of projects to bolster its infrastructure.