High-tide flooding in low-lying areas along the Carolinas coast is becoming more frequent as the sea rises because of climate change. Federal officials say annual days with non-storm-related flooding could multiply by 2050.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, predicts coastal communities nationwide will average 45 to 85 high-tide flooding days per year by 2050, or 10 times the current rate. And some places could see even more.
Nicole LeBoeuf of the National Ocean Service spoke at a recent NOAA press briefing.
She said, "Events like hurricanes get a lot of attention. But high tide flooding is one of the most tangible impacts of long term sea-level rise, reminding us that while we brace for impact today, the United States must also plan for a wetter future."
East Coast sea levels rose by about a foot in the past century because of melting continental ice and warmer oceans, and federal scientists predict it will rise another foot by 2050. That means Wilmington could go from an average of two to five days a year of high-tide flooding to 40 days annually along the waterfront. Dare County could see up to 110 days a year and Emerald Isle and Beaufort could face up to 70 days, according to NOAA.