Key Features
What NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer Does
Details
Overview
The NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer is an interactive mapping platform that projects future inundation scenarios for U.S. coastal communities based on established sea-level rise trajectories, local subsidence rates, and tidal conditions. By visualising which neighbourhoods, infrastructure, and economic assets face permanent or recurrent flooding under plausible climate scenarios, the tool supports adaptation planning, insurance risk assessment, and land-use policy decisions.
Key Features
- Interactive inundation maps: User-adjustable projections for 2050 and 2100 under low, intermediate, and high carbon-emission pathways
- Nuisance flooding visualisation: Maps of recurrent high-tide inundation frequency to identify areas facing regular disruption before permanent submersion
- Critical infrastructure overlay: Layers highlighting power plants, wastewater treatment, roads, and emergency facilities to expose systemic vulnerabilities
- Scenario comparison tools: Side-by-side mapping of alternative futures to evaluate relative risk and communicate adaptation urgency
Who Is It For?
Coastal planners, emergency managers, property insurers, and community leaders at the local and county scale. The beginner-friendly interface requires no specialised technical background, making it effective for engaging non-specialist stakeholders in understanding flood risk and building the case for retreat, adaptation, or protection investments.
Getting Started
Access the viewer at NOAA’s Sea Level Rise portal, select your coastal county, and explore inundation scenarios under different sea-level rise assumptions. NOAA’s Climate.gov website provides guidance on interpreting results and connecting projections to adaptation strategies developed by state or local government.