Although coastal city flooding has been an issue for quite a while now, studies done by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show an expected surge in the issue as we approach the 2030’s, perhaps even sooner. The studies indicate that the lunar cycle coupled with current rising sea levels will cause unprecedented flooding in coastal areas.

Led by the NASA Sea Level Change Science Team from the University of Hawaii, the studies indicate grave news for the future. Due to the lunar cycle and other related celestial bodies, high tides in the future are going to be far more serious and far more frequent; some hypotheses suggest that these tides could cause months long of flooding. The grimmest of these theories is that flooding will be occurring every day or two, rendering the area near effectively submerged.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson went on to state that “low-lying areas near sea level are increasingly at risk and suffering due to the increased flooding, and it will only get worse. The combination of the Moon’s gravitational pull, rising sea levels, and climate change will continue to exacerbate coastal flooding on our coastlines and across the world.” Thus, cities, like Orlando and Miami, are at a particular risk.

Understanding the cyclical nature of it all, and how to predict it, is imperative for the safety and comfort of the future. Research is still underway, and seemingly barely scratching past the surface. There are an outstanding number of variables and contributing factors to the situation. Nelson adds that “NASA’s Sea Level Change Team is providing crucial information so that we can plan, protect, and prevent damage to the environment and people’s livelihoods affected by flooding.”