Although surface melt did not set a new record in 2016, the Greenland Ice Sheet did continue a long-term trend of decreasing mass, according to the latest Arctic Report Card from NOAA and its partners.
The mid-October windstorm in the Pacific Northwest
October 28, 2016
The global mean sea level in 2015 was approximately 7 centimeters (2.7 inches) above the 1993 average, making it the highest observed since the satellite altimeter record began in 1993. Regional variations highlighted the short-term influence of climate phenomena like the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the largest El Niño event since 1997/98.
As the threats of tsunamis and sea level rise are joined by real and potential climate impacts, the Quinault community looks to move the lower village of Taholah to higher ground.
Coastal erosion has repeatedly damaged surfside bike paths and parking lots near Ventura, California. It took local groups with varying viewpoints more than a decade to agree upon a strategy, but the first phase of their solution is now complete.
High-tide "nuisance flooding" has increased between 300 and 925 percent since the 1960s as a result of sea level rise. In this Q&A, Billy Sweet and John Marra explain the changes and offer projections for the remainder of the 2015-16 monitoring year.
How will the current El Niño impact coastal flooding over the next year? Guest blogger William Sweet and his colleagues discuss how the combination of long-term sea level rise and El Niño have increased the risk of high-tide flooding along both U.S. coastlines.