Lunar wobble and climate change to cause high tide flooding in US: Study

WASHINGTON: A new study conducted by NASA concluded that in the mid-2030s, coastal areas in the United States of America will see a dramatic surge in high tide floods as the ongoing climate change on Earth will align with natural shifts in the moon’s orbit. 

The study was conducted by collecting data on astronomical causes of flooding. They found that the alignment of rising sea levels with the moon’s cycle will have a monumental impact on the number of high tide floods. 

Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator, explained that the lunar gravitational pull, along with the rising sea levels and climate change has been furthering the coastal flooding along the coastlines worldwide. In the report, NASA added that this is not a new development and neither is it dangerous. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported over 600 high-tide related flood cases in the year 2019. In other words, many of the US’ coastal areas have already started witnessing the impact of climate change on tide levels. 

The new thing found in this study is that the Moon’s gravitational pull, which causes Earth’s tides, will be even more impactful now that the rising sea levels will be furthered due to climate change. 

To have an impact, the wobble in the moon’s orbit takes about 18 years. Initially, the moon’s cycle suppresses the daily tides of Earth, and then it amplifies it. The stage of amplification will be reached in the mid-2030s and will have an effect on Earth’s already high sea levels. This will result in floods all across the US mainland coastlines. 

Phil Thompson, the lead author of the study, said that there is a tendency to view high tide flooding as a less significant problem. However, if it floods more than 10 times in a month, it can have a severe impact on the area’s economy and can become a public health issue.