Flood risk grows for tens of thousands of New Jersey homes as seas rise
Even with sharp emissions cuts, a new tool shows that tens of thousands of homes in New Jersey will face annual flooding by 2050 due to climate-driven sea-level rise.
Jon Hurdle reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- A new version of Climate Central’s Coastal Risk Finder projects that sea-level rise will cause annual flooding for up to 74,000 people and 66,000 homes in New Jersey by 2050 if emissions remain high.
- The tool allows residents to explore future flood scenarios and is part of broader planning efforts, including NJ Adapt by Rutgers, aimed at helping communities prepare for worsening coastal inundation.
- Flooding risks vary across the state, with places like Cape May County and Atlantic City especially vulnerable due to geography, development, and loss of natural flood barriers like marshes.
Key quote:
“We acknowledge that it’s tricky to communicate the seriousness of low-probability but severe floods to the public.”
— Kelly van Baalen, project manager in sea-level rise team at Climate Central
Why this matters:
Once a beloved summer haven and a symbol of American beachfront living, the Jersey Shore is now a front line in the battle against rising seas. Tidal gauges and satellite data tell a sobering story: Sea levels along the mid-Atlantic coast are climbing faster than the global average. More frequent “sunny day” floods — when high tides alone are enough to inundate roads — have shifted from oddities to routine events. While sophisticated tools from groups like Climate Central and Rutgers offer neighborhood-by-neighborhood projections, the communication gap between scientific forecasts and meaningful policy remains wide.
Read more: Floods devastate countries across multiple continents as climate change intensifies
