NOAA predicts fewer high-tide coastal flood days for this year, next

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- NOAA's 2024-25 Annual High Tide Flooding Outlook predicts fewer high-tide flood days than last year. The report released Tuesday documents high-tide flooding at 97 NOAA tide gauges along U.S. coasts.

The report's prediction is for a median range of four to eight high-tide flood days from May 2024 to April 2025.

"NOAA predicts that from May 2024 to April 2025 the U.S. will experience a median range of four to eight high-tide flood days -- slightly fewer than last year's predicted four to nine days -- as El Nino conditions transition into El Nina," NOAA said in a statement.

"The increase in high-tide flooding has affected infrastructure in coastal communities across America, especially in underserved communities," NOAA deputy administrator Jainey Bavishi said in a statement.

The most flood days will happen along Pacific Islands and the western Gulf coast, where the median high-tide flood days will range between five-16 days for the islands and seven-15 days along the Gulf Coast.

According to NOAA, "The Pacific Islands now experience a median of seven more high-tide flood days compared to the year 2000, a more than 250% increase, while the western Gulf experiences eight median high-tide flood days - a nearly 300% increase since 2000."

NOAA's statement said that as the shift to La Nina along the West Coast happens it will be more noticeable because high-tide flooding was driven by El Nino conditions there rather than sea level rise.

"Due to long-term sea level rise, the U.S. now experiences an additional five median flood days per year compared to 2000 -- a roughly 200% increase," NOAA's statement said. "By 2050, the nation is expected to experience an average of 45 to 85 high-tide flooding days per year."

NOAA's 2023 High Tide Flooding Outlook predicted the U.S. would experience three times the number of "nuisance flood" or "sunny flood" days compared with 2000.

NOAA's 2023 report said from May 2022 to April 2023 eight of 98 locations measured broke high-tide flood day records.

That report expected 2024 to see more high-tide flood days.