Wildwood Faces Growing Threat from Rising Seas and Increasing Sunny Day Flooding

WILDWOOD, N.J. — The popular coastal community of Wildwood, known for its wide beaches and iconic two-mile boardwalk, is experiencing increasing challenges due to rising sea levels and worsening sunny day flooding.
Sunny day flooding, also called high tide or nuisance flooding, occurs during regular high tides without storms or rainfall. This type of flooding is becoming more frequent along the East Coast and disrupts daily life by flooding streets, damaging infrastructure, and threatening homes. Since 2000, high tide flooding days in the Southeast Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions have increased between 400 and 1,100 percent, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Coastal Management. By 2050, some coastal areas could experience flooding 45 to 85 days each year. Rising sea levels combined with stronger storms cause saltwater to move further inland, leading to greater damage to homes and infrastructure. The increased flooding poses a significant risk to communities along New Jersey’s shoreline. Efforts to address these challenges focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Advances in solar technology that perform efficiently even on cloudy days provide new opportunities for clean energy use. Homeowners can also improve resilience and reduce pollution by installing heat pumps and induction stoves. The future of Wildwood’s coastal lifestyle depends on effective action to reduce climate change impacts and adapt to the realities of rising sea levels.