Weather Analysis and Visualization for Everyone (WAVE)

Research shows NYC coastlines are under serious risk of inundation (~2 mm) in the near future. As climate change continues to cause sea level rise (~3mm), NYC shorelines are becoming more exposed to major coastal flooding. The sea level rise, combined with the accelerated land subsidence rates caused by the weight of NYC skyscrapers leaves many coastal communities at risk. As such, Project W.A.V.E aims to bridge the gap between disadvantaged communities and their access to coastal flooding information. The purpose of this research is to inform NYC coastal communities of impending threats regarding sinkage and sea level rise. The goal is to answer: “How can we combine the impacts of sea level rise, land elevation and ground subsidence rates to display future floodplain maps in a format accessible to the general public?”

The project's first phase involves obtaining and analyzing climatic, geological, and hydrological data from roughly between 1950 and 2023 to predict flooding trends in NYC for 2050 and 2100. The second phase involves using GIS to combine InSAR data for land subsidence, a digital elevation model of NYC, and sea level rise estimates to visualize new flood zone projections. In the concluding phase, the projection models will be made available to the general public. Due to the additional subsidence from the weight of NYC buildings, our predictive models for 2050 and 2100 showed that there were more areas flooded than anticipated. The areas most affected are lower Manhattan, the Jamaica Bay area, Western Queens and parts of Eastern Staten Island. Future studies will involve collaborating with other scientists to measure how additional factors contribute to coastal flooding in New York City and methods of prevention.