EUROPE: Global mean sea levels are projected to gradually rise in response to greenhouse warming. However, on shorter time scales, modes of natural climate variability in the Pacific, such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), can affect regional sea level variability and extremes, with considerable impacts on coastal ecosystems and island nations.
How these shorter-term sea level fluctuations will change in association with a projected increase in extreme El Niño and its atmospheric variability remains unknown.
Using present-generation coupled climate models forced with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations and subtracting the effect of global mean sea level rise, we find that climate change will enhance El Niño–related sea level extremes, especially in the tropical southwestern Pacific, where very low sea level events, locally known as Taimasa, are projected to double in occurrence.
The higher waters of El Niño could increase flooding challenges of rising sea levels, but low sea levels may not be better for the environment. When the sea level drops dramatically it dries out shallow marine environments. In South Pacific Islands this could kill large amounts of coral, leaving a foul smell. These acrid tides are called taimasa by Samoans.
Tesla driverless system to use updated radar technology
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