Unexpected sea level rises in 2024 raise concern among scientists
NASA says, 2024 was the warmest year on record, and a combination of accelerating polar ice melt, unusually high ocean temperatures and shifting weather patterns might have contributed to the surge.
Scientists at NASA have recorded an unexpected spike in global sea levels, in 2024, raising concerns about the pace of climate change and its impact on coastal communities.
New data from climate monitoring agencies indicate that the sea levels have risen more than projected with some regions experiencing record-breaking increase of water levels.
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According to a NASA-led analysis, last year’s rate of rise was 0.23 inches (0.59 centimetres) per year, compared to the expected rate of 0.17 inches (0.43 centimetres) per year.
“The rise we saw in 2024 was higher than we expected,” said Josh Willis, a sea level researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
“Every year is a little bit different, but what’s clear is that the ocean continues to rise, and the rate of rise is getting faster and faster.”
NASA says, 2024 was the warmest year on record, and a combination of accelerating polar ice melt, unusually high ocean temperatures and shifting weather patterns might have contributed to the surge.
“Heat enters the ocean, causing thermal expansion of water, with warmer, lighter water typically staying on top of cooler, denser water,” NASA said in their blog.
“Normally, heat moves slowly from the surface to the deep ocean. However, in areas with strong winds, like the Southern Ocean, vertical mixing can occur, allowing surface water to sink. Events like El Niño, where warm water shifts across the Pacific, also contribute to vertical heat movement in the ocean.”
In December the coast, local fishermen and residents have reported experiencing higher than normal tides in Mombasa’s Tudor, Kizingo and Likoni areas, with some businesses on the shore already experiencing damage.
“The ocean is eating into the land, and it is getting worse,” said Salim Hassan, a boat operator in Old Town.
Since satellite measurements of ocean height started in 1993, the rate of sea level rise has more than doubled. Overall, global sea levels have risen by about 4 inches (10 centimetres) since then.
This data comes from a series of ocean-observing satellites, starting with TOPEX/Poseidon in 1992. The current satellite, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, launched in 2020, and its twin, Sentinel-6B, will continue to track sea levels for the next few decades. These satellites can measure sea surface height with great accuracy, covering nearly 90% of the world's oceans.
The United Nations has called for an emergency climate summit to address the crises, while governments in vulnerable regions especially at the coastlines are being urged to prepare their countries in advance, ramping up coastal defenses and evacuation plans.
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