Coastal cities are already experiencing high-tide flooding. As oceans continue to warm, sea level rise will accelerate. But where will the impacts be greatest? And what will they look like?
The interactive map below from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management provides terrifying insights. You can use the adjustable slider to model sea level rise at levels ranging from 0 to 10 feet.
Launch Interactive Map
As you adjust the slider, the map shows which areas will flood at a given level. Points of interest markers show how sea level rise will impact iconic landmarks. But not every place is impacted the same, even within cities or regions.
For example, consider New York City. At five feet of sea level rise, both the LaGuardia and Newark airports would be affected. But JFK fares better, with no intrusion onto the tarmac.
These hyperlocal insights are critical for communities to mitigate sea level rise. They empower cities to perform what-if planning and dedicate resources to the most vulnerable areas. They also reveal critical infrastructure that could be relocated to avoid the worst impacts.
Additional tabs in the map focus on wetlands and vulnerable populations. You can also see which places are already experiencing high-tide flooding.
We probably can’t stop the seas from rising. But we can intelligently develop cities and infrastructure to be more resilient. Maps can help us best target those efforts.
More to Explore
- Learn more about the interactive map and the data that powers it.
- Download sea level rise data for the US.
