Will Climate Change Put You Underwater?

If we continue burning fossil fuels the way we do now sea levels will rise by three feet — and could rise by as much as five feet — by the year 2100. What does this mean for your favorite beach? The map here offers answers. Designed by a physics Ph.D. student, Robert A. Rohde, for his site Global Warming Art, it uses information from NASA to show which areas of America’s coastline will be hit the hardest.

Check out the potential fate of New York City, Miami and Sacramento. Like many other cities, large areas are predicted to be under water and some cities may be completely wiped out. And you can forget about a trip to the Bahamas — all the islands will be gone.

The map works like most Google maps. You can use the tools on the left or click and drag the map to navigate. Double click to zoom in. The different colors over potentially affected areas show the elevation of that area and how much the sea would need to rise to cover it. Those areas in red could be under water by the end of this century if we don’t change our fossil fuel consumption habits.

Also check out two features, one by Rolling Stone and the other by The New York Times, looking at how American cities will be affected by rising seas levels.

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