Which FL Cities Will Be Underwater By 2050?

FLORIDA — A map projecting sea level rise shows which Florida cities are likely to be underwater by 2050.

The map, which is developed by the Florida Climate Center at Florida State University, uses climate data and predictive modeling to predict the most vulnerable parts of the state that will be below the annual flood level by 2050.

The cities of Miami and Tampa would be less affected than the Keys and Everglades, but they would still have some water encroachment on their green coastal regions, according to the map's projections.

Parts of South Florida, especially in the area of Everglades National Park, are among the most at-risk communities, the map shows.

But there are areas along the state’s entire coastline, from the Panhandle to the Florida Keys, that could be underwater in just a couple of decades.

Coastal areas in the south Florida are most at risk, particularly the state parks and reserves and the low-lying Keys, Newsweek said. Parts of Florida's southwestern coast could be totally submerged, including the Everglades, which spans over 1.5 million acres.

Parts of Fort Lauderdale, particularly the waterfront neighborhood of the Las Olas Isles, would be partially submerged. Sections of Jacksonville built along rivers and waterways will also be inundated, the publication said.

Check out the map here.

“Florida is among the most exposed states in the country to sea level rise and coastal storms,” the Florida Climate Center said. “With its low-lying coastal topography and more than 8,400 miles of shoreline, much of Florida and its coastal population are vulnerable to the impacts of rising sea levels. While vulnerability to sea level rise varies considerably across the state, with many inland areas at much higher elevations, sea level rise impacts will not be restricted to areas along the immediate coast.

Here's what the Climate Center wrote about the impact of sea level rise:

Sea levels are rising globally as a result of ocean warming and land-based ice melt; however, local coastal vulnerability and risk are driven by the total water level experienced at a given location based on the interaction of rising sea levels with astronomical tides, storm surges, and ocean waves, as well as with coastal infrastructure and population. In Florida, sea level rise is already exacerbating saltwater intrusion and impacting groundwater supplies. Sea level rise is impacting gravity-flow drainage infrastructure, which is leading to more frequent and severe high tide (or “nuisance”) flooding. Higher sea levels can also lead to higher storm surge levels and greater coastal flooding during tropical cyclones.

To summarize, scientists are confident that sea levels will continue to rise over the coming decades. There is increasing confidence in near-term projections in sea level rise out to the year 2050, but greater uncertainty remains for long-term projections out to the end of this century. Coastal communities across the state are already seeing the impacts from rising sea levels and are taking steps to address these impacts. In some places, sea level rise threatens to disrupt daily life, such as where increased street flooding with saltwater can impact people, infrastructure, and vehicles. As sea level rise continues and accelerates, greater adaptation actions will be needed to minimize impacts and prepare communities for increased flood risks.