Global sea level rose faster than expected in 2024, mostly because of ocean water expanding as it warms, or thermal expansion. According to a NASA-led analysis, last year's rate of rise was 0.23 inches (0.

Communities in coastal areas such as Florida, shown in this 1992 NASA image, are vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise, including

As climate change continues to drive global sea level rise, many people living in coastal areas are already seeing the effects. Coastal erosion is accelerating and shifting coastlines inland, and storm surges are getting worse.

Sea levels rose even higher than anticipated last year, according to an analysis by NASA. Last year was the hottest on record for the planet — largely due to human-caused climate change — leading to a sea-level rise of nearly 0.