Extreme heat and sea levels are typically monitored and studied individually but researchers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University found they were occurring simultaneously — a phenomenon that could multiply fivefold by mid-century. — AFP picHONG KONG, April 12 — Coastal communities need to prepare for simultaneous extreme weather events as heatwaves increasingly overlap with surges in sea levels due to climate change, a study published on Thursday warned.
Previous studies have shown that heat contributes to storm systems like tropical cyclones that bring surging sea levels, said Shuo Wang, co-author and assistant professor of hydroclimatic extremes. Meanwhile, richer countries that do have them have shown that power cuts become a risk, particularly during storms.