Image by NOAA A new NOAA study found coastal areas along the East Coast could be more vulnerable to storm surges and sea level rise in future El Nino years.
As Charleston continues to play catch-up with downtown flooding, the game seems to be continuing to change underfoot.
Following up on the 2009-2010 El Nino season, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists examined decades of water level data in the Charleston area.
The result was, perhaps, unsurprising for anyone that lives in the study's areas: El Nino years brought some three times as many storm surges as normal years, that is, Charleston saw higher tides and more water.
Pair that up with rising sea levels (yes, they've been already rising for decades) and a city that's already prone to flooding, and you've got the making for much flooding concern the next time an El Nino roles around (about every five years.)
You can read all about the report at NOAA.
And a hat tip to The Post and Courier for spotting this.
