Scientists have issued a stern warning over the ongoing threat of rising sea levels caused by the ever-changing climate.

What’s happening?

A detailed report by The Washington Post revealed that coastal communities across eight states in the U.S. are facing “one of the most rapid sea level surges on Earth.” Since 2010, satellite data shows that the Gulf of Mexico has experienced twice the global average rate of rising sea levels, with more than a dozen tide gauges spanning from Texas to North Carolina registering sea levels that are at least six inches higher than they were 14 years ago.

While many understandably assume that extreme weather events like hurricanes are the source of these changes, experts revealed that rising water levels face a “newer, more insidious challenge” of accumulation caused by smaller-scale weather events.

“To me, here’s the story: We are preparing for the wrong disaster almost everywhere,” Rob Young, director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University, told the Post. “These smaller changes will be a greater threat over time than the next hurricane, no question about it.”

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The water level in Charleston, South Carolina, hit the fourth-highest mark since the city began keeping track in 1899, the Post reported, with the city’s average rising by seven inches since 2010. Jacksonville, Florida, has seen an increase of six inches during that period, but Galveston Texas, experienced a full eight-inch increase across 14 years, the Post said.

Why is this concerning?

These rapidly increasing water levels are uncommon, and to make matters worse, experts believe they are here to stay even if the rate of the rise tapers off eventually.

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