Hurricanes, Sea Level Rise, and New York City

With a population of over 8 million people, many billions of dollars in proper...

With a population of over 8 million people, many billions of dollars in property at stake, and hundreds of miles of shoreline, New York City is particularly vulnerable to the threat of severe hurricanes. In spite of its mid-latitude location (~41°N), New York City and the surrounding region have experienced numerous hurricanes, some of which have produced serious damage and loss of life. Future rising sea levels associated with global warming are another cause for concern. Not only would the city be threatened by higher floods associated with hurricanes and other coastal storms, but the interval between floods of a given elevation could drop sharply.