New York City Flood Risk Has Risen 20-Fold Since Late 1800s, Study Says

The odds that New York City will be flooded by a storm, such as a winter nor'easter or a summer hurricane, is now at least 20 times greater than it was 170 years ago, a new study found. It pinned part of the blame on a rising sea level, but also found that other factors are playing a role in escalating the flood risk.

The study, accepted for publication in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, found that a combination of long-term sea level rise, the destruction of wetlands and dredging of waterways as well as possible shifts in storm tracks and strength may all be sharply boosting the risk of dangerously high storm tides. Read more...