Sea Levels rising since 1987

Abrupt Shift: The rate at which sea level is rising increased abruptly beginning in 1987 at all 8 stations along the northeastern U.S. coast

A new study by emeritus professor John Boon of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science shows that the rate of sea-level rise is increasing at tidal stations along the Atlantic coast of North America, including those in Norfolk, Baltimore, New York, and Boston.

Boon’s findings, published online in the Journal of Coastal Research, confirm those of two other recent studies that find accelerating rates of sea-level rise along the Atlantic Coast of the U.S. and Canada. He’ll discuss his research during the Oceans12 Conference at the Virginia Beach Convention Center this week, and at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Charlotte in early November.

The question of whether sea level is rising at a steady or increasing rate is of critical important to those tasked with planning for and adapting to coastal flooding in their communities. “Localized projections of sea-level rise are needed to guide the regional planning and adaptation measures that are being pursued with increasing urgency in many coastal localities,” says Boon.

Read the rest of the story on the VIMS website here