"Water levels are nearing the brim in many communities," said Sweet. "Every inch (of sea level rise) matters at this point." Photos wanted: Documenting high tides in Rhode Island NOAA's 2022 predicted number of high tide flood days at its New England gauge locations are as follows:īy the year 2050, according to NOAA predictions, Boston could see between 50 and 70 days of high tide flooding Providence, between 45 and 70 and Bar Harbor, 45 to 60. "People are less familiar with this phenomenon of high tide flooding because it used to basically not happen," said Piecuch.
Because it's reoccurring, Piecuch said, the damage and economic toll is on par with a hurricane, for example, "if not more." High tiding flooding isn't necessarily as visually frightening as storm surge, per se, but it's insidious. Through next April, NOAA predicts the area will see an average between six and 11 high tide flood days. Nearing the brim: How will sea level rise increase high tide flooding? The Northeast Atlantic region saw eight high tide flood days in 2021, "about a 200% increase in the last 20 years," Sweet said. "But that's no reason to think these effects won't continue to grow into the future." High tide flooding in New England "Last year along New England, (high tide flooding) was not as bad as (NOAA's) forecast anticipated, primarily because of these factors," said Piecuch. More: What is La Niña? Does it bring more snow? How climate pattern could affect US weather.īut when its counterpart El Niño comes around, coastal flooding is exacerbated. Expected to continue into next year, the periodic meteorological event typically lasts between 9 and 12 months, and impacts coastal storm tracks by bringing cooler ocean surface temperature and lower than normal sea surface heights. NOAA officials said current La Nina conditions are essentially holding back high tide flooding both nationally and in the Northeast. "These numbers are given not to scare, but to prepare people," he said. In many locations, flood days could become the "new high tide," according to William Sweet, a NOAA oceanographer. The pace at which this is increasing is going to sort of balloon in the future." "Literally out my window, we're seeing it," said Christopher Piecuch, a physical oceanographer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod.
NOAA says: New England's temps are warming, sea levels rising faster than the global rate On Wednesday, NOAA released its annual state of high tide flooding report and outlook through April 2023, showing places like Boston, Providence and Bar Harbor could experience up to 70 days of high tide flooding by the year 2050. High tide flooding, or "sunny day" flooding, is when low-lying areas are covered anywhere from 1.75 to 2 feet above the daily average high tide. High tides are getting higher because of sea level rise, especially in the Northeast where the ocean is rising three-to-four times faster than the global average.
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