High tide flooding along the U.S. East Coast

Today’s Video of the Day from NASA Goddard describes a dramatic increase in high tide flooding across the eastern coast of the United States.

While many people think of sea level rise as being a future issue, the effects are already visible in cities such as Annapolis, Boston, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, and Miami.

High tide flooding, also known as sunny day flooding, is becoming more common as a result of slightly higher sea levels combined with seawater that is expanding as the oceans become warmer. 

Annapolis, Maryland, in particular, has seen a major increase in floods over the past few years. City engineers are collaborating with a team from the Naval Academy to analyze data from NOAA and NASA and develop flood mitigation strategies.

During the first weekend of November  2021, the city of Charleston was hit with unusually high tides and widespread flooding for days. The high tide in Charleston Harbor reached 8.51 feet, which is the 10th highest level in the last century.

Between 1953 and 2000, Charleston had an average of eight minor flooding events per year. Over the last decade, this number has jumped to more than 41 annual flooding events, according to the National Weather Service.

Video Credit: NASA Goddard 

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer