MAINE

Boston The city has not been hit by tidal flooding as hard as cities farther south, but it is working on a plan to combat flooding and sea-level rise.

10" rise

NOAA tide gauges

Mean sea level rise, in inches

Days of nuisance flooding

5"

VT.

N.H.

10 days

1950

1975

2000

2015

The Battery, New York City In 2012, Hurricane Sandy laid bare the city’s vulnerability to storm surges and tidal flooding. The city is spending some $20 billion on a resilience plan.

Boston

MASS.

10"

R.I.

5"

10 days

1950

1975

2000

2015

CONN.

Atlantic City The Jersey Shore was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy, and fierce fights have erupted about how to rebuild.

10"

N.Y.

30 days

5"

20

10

The Battery

N.J.

1950

1975

2000

2015

PA.

Atlantic City

MD.

DEL.

ATLANTIC OCEAN

µ Annapolis, Md. High tides now regularly flood the old City Dock, the heart of downtown. A statue commemorating the historic television series “Roots” is sometimes under water.

Annapolis

60 days

10"

50

40

30

5"

20

Chesapeake Bay

10

1950

1975

2000

2015

Norfolk

VA.

µ Norfolk, Va. Rulers at low-lying intersections help drivers figure out if floodwaters are safe to plow through. Some cars go too fast, creating wakes that damage nearby property.

N.C.

10"

5"

10 days

1950

1975

2000

2015

Wilmington

80 days

Wilmington, N.C. The city and points nearby have been among the worst-hit parts of the country by the increase in tidal nuisance flooding.

70

60

10"

50

40

30

5"

S.C.

20

10

Coastal areas at or below the nuisance flood level.

1950

1975

2000

2015

Charleston

Fort Pulaski

Tybee Island

GA.

µ Charleston, S.C. At high tide, water can back up in the old sewers and bubble into the streets. The city is spending more than $200 million on improvements.

10"

40 days

30

5"

20

10

1950

1975

2000

2015

FLA.

µ Fort Pulaski, Ga. The road to nearby Tybee Island is being closed several times a year during tidal flooding, and can be scary to drive on even when it remains open.

10"

30 days

5"

20

Fort Lauderdale

10

Miami

1950

1975

2000

2015

Miami Miami Beach plans to spend at least $400 million to raise streets, install pumps and elevate seawalls.

5"

20 days

10

2000

2015

Key West, Fla. Researchers are studying ancient coral reefs here to determine how fast sea levels rose between the last two ice ages, about 125,000 years ago.

5" rise

Key West

10 days

1950

1975

2000