Sea level rise is here this Sunday evening.
The sea level actually won’t be higher on Sunday but we’ll see what a 2 foot or possibly higher rise in sea level will look like at high tide. This is a glimpse into our future that our Department of Health and Environmental Control is asking for help in documenting.
The phenomenon is called King Tides and happens several times a year around the globe. This month the dates are the 8th – 12th but only the evening high tides will be impacted. Sunday evening should be the highest of the tides that will reach 2 feet or higher above normal high tide. The King Tides return again this year in September, October and November and will be evident both in the AM and PM tides.
So what will a 2 foot rise in sea level at high tide look like on a regular basis?
Here are some selected places (and high tide times) where you should go see for yourself:
Beaufort (9:55 PM)—East and King Streets
Charleston (8:37 PM)—Harelston Village area (watch out for those manhole covers)
Georgetown (10:02 PM)—Front and Orange Streets
North Myrtle Beach (Cherry Grove)(8:36 PM)—Nixon Street between 31st Ave. N. and 34th Ave. N.
So go out this Sunday evening at high tide and visit what a normal high tide will look like when the sea level rises 2 feet. Send your photos to DHEC at this address: http://mycoast.org/sc/king-tides
Learn more about our South Carolina Businesses Acting on Rising Seas project.
It’s time for all these communities to start planning to make themselves more resilient because this future is only decades away.
Contact me if you want to help.