El Niño Threatens Record Sea Levels and Coastal Flooding in California
A strengthening El Niño is expected to bring the highest sea levels ever recorded along the California coast, according to experts from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Mark Merrifield, director of the Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation, highlighted that sea levels in the eastern Pacific Ocean are already more than half a foot higher than average, with further increases anticipated by fall and winter. This phenomenon, driven by warmer ocean waters displacing colder water, is expected to result in significant coastal flooding, saltwater intrusion into groundwater, and accelerated coastal erosion. Historical data from previous strong El Niño events, such as those in 1982-83 and 1997-98, show similar impacts, including beach erosion and flooding. The current El Niño is also expected to intensify marine heat waves, disrupt marine ecosystems, and potentially lead to harmful algal blooms, which could affect marine life and human health. (Source time: 2026-08-10 10:00:00 GMT)