East Coast Sea Levels Rose Two Feet This Summer
But it wasn’t due to global warming. Experts believe a weakened Gulf Stream and strong winds from the northeastern Atlantic sent more water towards the coast.
Sea levels jumped as much as 2 feet, higher than predicted for the East Coast.
Screwed up winds may be the immediate explanation for the deeper waters, but the underlying cause is still a mystery.
Researchers don’t know why the Gulf Stream slowed down, which was made worse by the early arrival of autumn winds.
Scientists say the Gulf Stream pulls current water away from the East Coast, so a weaker stream lets water creep further down the shoreline, which lead to minor coastal flooding. So figuring out what killed the Gulf Stream is a priority.
I live on the East Coast–New Jersey–and as much as I think rising sea levels are scary, the higher tides could wash away all the sleazy greased hair, Axe Body Sprayed land sharks that hangout down the shore.
Image credit: Sister72
