Study: Sea Levels Rising Faster Along East Coast

08:02

June 25, 2012

This Aug. 28, 2011 file photo shows a flooded road on Hatteras Island, N.C., after Hurricane Irene swept through the area the previous day cutting the roadway in five locations. (AP)

A study published yesterday in the journal Nature Climate Change indicates that sea levels are rising three to four times faster in our region than in the rest of the world. The so-called hot spot identified by the U.S. Geological Survey extends along the eastern seaboard from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Boston, with less severe effects extending northward into Canada.

UMass Boston ocean sciences professor Ellen Douglas has been modeling sea-level rise in the Boston area for years. We've asked her to help us understand what this new finding means for the Massachusetts coastline.

Guests:

Ellen Douglas, UMass Boston ocean sciences professor

More:

Study: Sea Levels Rising Faster Along East Coast
Boston Harbor Sea Levels Rise Map

This segment aired on June 25, 2012.