Sea level in the southern US is rising “alarmingly”, says newspaper

Extreme weather events like those that are devastating more than 235 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul are not isolated events. An analysis of the Washington Postpublished on April 29, shows that sea levels on the south coast of the United States have increased “alarming” from 2010 to 2023.

The territory is bathed by the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. According to the report, the phenomenon puts coastal cities at risk in 8 North American states: Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi.

For the analysis, the Washington Post used monthly data recorded by 127 tide gauges (a sensor used to measure water levels) from NOAA (acronym in English for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States). Sea level rise was calculated for 2 periods: from 1980 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2023.

In relation to the most recent period (2010-2023), the data shows that the rise in sea level in 14 locations was above 15 centimeters.

The city of Galveston, Texas, recorded the highest: 21.33 centimeters. It is followed by the cities of Tybee Island, Georgia, with 18.54 centimeters, and Charleston, South Carolina, with 18.03 centimeters.

In an interview with Washington Post, University of Arizona climate scientist Jianjun Yin said rising water levels in recent years are “irreversible”.