Major U.S. coastal cities could face far greater flooding, property damage and pressure to abandon vulnerable neighborhoods if global sea levels approach 6.2 feet of rise by the end of the century, according to research that raises the upper limit well beyond widely used United Nations projections.
From Miami and New Orleans to New York and communities along the California coast, higher seas could magnify storm surges, overwhelm existing flood defenses and expose homes, roads, ports and other critical infrastructure to more frequent inundation. Saltwater could also penetrate farther into freshwater supplies and agricultural areas, while some low-lying communities may eventually have to consider managed retreat.
