New York City, NY– An engaging map highlights the areas of New York that are at greatest risk from rising sea levels and heightened flooding as a result of climate change.
A new map created by Climate Central researchers employs sophisticated predictive modeling techniques to illustrate potential underwater regions by the year 2050. Regions identified as potentially below the water level on the map are highlighted in red.
According to this projection, Manhattan is expected to remain largely secure, with only minimal water intrusion affecting the city’s outermost areas.
The historic industrial complex along the East River is set to face some water inundation. The regions facing the highest threat throughout New York include the southern coast of Long Island and the barrier islands situated beneath it.
The map indicates that numerous coastal areas in Suffolk and Nassau counties, such as Freeport and Island Park, are at risk of being underwater.
The barrier islands are set to face significant impacts, with extensive areas of Jones Beach Island submerged, notably including Gilgo Beach. Fire Island is set to face significant flooding.
A significant portion of the low-lying tidal flats situated between Long Island and the barrier islands would be completely submerged.
Certain coastal regions along the northern and eastern shores of Long Island, along with various areas in Westchester, may face potential hazards.
New York City is set to construct a series of large and costly seawalls aimed at safeguarding against rising sea levels and storm surges. However, progress on some of these projects has been delayed due to ongoing discussions regarding their financial implications, practicality, and overall effectiveness.
The projection indicates that by 2050, New York is expected to perform better than New Jersey, which is likely to experience significantly more extensive flooding in regions near the Hackensack River.
Peter Girard, a spokesperson for Climate Central, previously told Newsweek: “People living on low-lying coastal land, like river mouths, are already facing higher flood risks because of the 20-40 centimeters [7.9-15.7 inches] of sea level rise measured along U.S. coasts over the past few decades. Their communities can expect the worst of the impacts as water levels continue to climb.”
Margaret Walls, who leads the Climate Risks and Resilience Program at the nonprofit Resources for the Future, has indicated that the impact of rising sea levels will vary across different regions of the United States.
“In big cities, you know, we’re not going to let New York City or Miami decline too much. There’s too much at stake. So I think there’ll be a lot of adaptation to keep those economies afloat,” Walls said.
“In my opinion, I think the sort of smaller cities, smaller towns, the places where they don’t have the resources to invest and they want to keep their economies viable, how is that going to happen?”
