Our Coasts in a Toasty World;
As 2024 draws to a close, it is time to take stock of our coasts.
First, the big picture. 2024 was the hottest year on record. The last time our planet was this hot was during the last interglacial period, 125,000 years ago.
Today’s coasts just had the largest bird kill in history, over 4 million murres died from a marine heat wave that created a blob of hot water off Alaska and the West Coast.
Locally, Massachusetts averages more major storms than any other state because we get whacked by both Nor’easters in the winter and hurricanes in the summer.
So, Massachusetts and all the other New England states will continue to be battered by more frequent and powerful storms.
Of particular concern is that New England will also be affected by higher high tides peaking their 30-year cycle in the mid-2030’s. Then the high tides will be 2 to 3 feet higher than at present in northern Massachusetts, and considerably higher in Maine and Canada.
So, NE and the rest of the East Coast can expect significant erosion, the creation of inlets, and the breakup of barrier beaches.
Florida and the Gulf Coast will also continue to be battered by more frequent and severe hurricanes, causing insurance policy cancellations, abandonment zones and the eventual collapse of coastal real estate bubbles.
The West Coast will continue to experience marine heat waves, atmospheric rivers, torrential rains, flooding, landslides and out of control wildfires.
The good news is that industry and coastal communities continue to transition toward a greener economy; powered by solar, offshore windfarms and in some cases small modular nuclear power plants.
The Coastlines Project will report on all these developments though books, articles and our daily Substack pieces. We will continue to think globally and act locally, working on issues where we can have the greatest impact.
Happy Holidays!
Bill Sargent