The pole shift, of course, radically affects the climate of every place on Earth. How could it not? The equator has changed, and formerly temperate and even polar areas now find themselves under the hot, continuous equatorial sun. Inhabitants of these areas may find themselves subject to severe sunburn, for the first time in their lives, and, not understanding the phenomena, not know what to do. Other inhabitants, formerly in the equator, will quickly freeze to death. The temperature plunges, unremittingly, and they are ill prepared. This is, all told, a relatively benign death, as the hypothermic body becomes dreamy and seemingly falls asleep. Few areas will find the climate remaining the same, by coincidence having the same relative latitude as before.
Over time the plants and animals change, accommodating the climatic change. Plants, in particular, are hard hit, as they are sensitive to the temperature, humidity, and exposure to sun and wind. The die off is massive, but certain other opportunists survive. Over time, there is a creep that occurs, such that from places where the climate has remained the same plants grow outward toward where they find conditions hospitable. The opportunists who took over, preempting all the strugglers, find they are being pushed, steadily, to assume their former status. Animals, being mobile, are less hard hit, and either adjust their day and night to the new conditions or travel. After a time, a few centuries, the Earth looks much as it did before, only this time with new poles, a new equator, and newly established temperate zones.
All of this activity is modulated at first by the gloom cause by Volcanic Dust. During the hour of the shift, all volcanoes active now or dormant now will explode. Likewise, during this hour, hurricane force winds will whip over the oceans. Due to this interaction, the gloom and humidity are present almost immediately after the shift. Disbursement, so that this is evenly spread, occurs over the next few days, within a week, but the effect is virtually immediate on vegetation requiring sunlight and a dry bed. Strong sunlight occurs only occasionally, in certain locations. In the main there is dusk, ever present dusk. Where there is vegetation die back, this is caused in fact more by the lack of sunshine than by any climatic changes. Animal life is impacted by the lack of food, too, more than climatic changes. However, after a couple decades, the skies clear, and then the climatic changes are the stronger determinant.