Global warming is threatening to flood parts of New York City this century.
Many of the area鈥檚 rail, subway and road tunnel entrances are less than 3 metres
above sea level. This leaves them vulnerable to flooding during a 鈥渉undred-year鈥
storm. But sea levels will rise anywhere from 24 to 108 centimetres by 2080,
warns Vivien Gornitz of Columbia University, which means that less severe, more
frequent storms will put them at risk (Global and Planetary Change vol
32, p 61). If sea levels had been around half a metre higher during a storm in
December 1992, the tunnels would have been inundated, she says.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles