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50-year Trend in Atlantic Hurricane Escalation

Coastal Resilience

For years, North Carolina Sea Grant has supported community and ecosystem resilience through a variety of projects and initiatives. As policymakers and planners begin to reconceive resilience as “bouncing forward,” Coastwatch offers articles at the forefront of the discussion. See also our related content on Hurricanes and Climate Change and Sea Level Rise.

mountains and a glacier

Mar 27, 2024

Ice to Ocean

As glaciers melt and seas rise, new findings about ground elevations at the coast confirm that the battle between land and sea has become increasingly one-sided — and that an ecological transformation of coastal NC has begun.
image: aerial view of a living shoreline.

Mar 25, 2024

The Guide to Coastal Living

The Guide to Coastal Living provides North Carolinians with quick information about how to address coastal hazards and how to live in a coastal environment. The series launches with this look at living shorelines — a strategy that provides invaluable benefits to our communities and coast.
image: flooded residential street at sunset.

Mar 25, 2024

Sunny with a Chance of Floods

When people see photos of Carolina Beach’s flooded Canal Drive, they might assume those waters lapping against the doorways of a residential neighborhood mean the area had just experienced a severe storm or hurricane. Locals know, however, it is just as likely the deluge was not related to a storm at all but rather an example of “nuisance” flooding.

Oct 1, 2024

The Guide to Coastal Living

Here's what to do -- and what not to do -- before and after a major storm.

Jul 2, 2024

The NC Coastal Conference Returns to the Coast

The North Carolina Coastal Conference returns to the coast on November 13 and 14 at the Riverfront Convention Center in New Bern.

Jun 26, 2024

The Guide to Coastal Living

Bulkheads have been popular, but these structures come with a number of negatives.
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Jan 17, 2024

Shifting Shores

Coastal hazards, such as hurricanes and sea level rise, continue to increase with climate change -- and shoreline modifications, dredging, and boating wakes can exacerbate erosion and property damage.
Cedar Point Tideland

Jan 17, 2024

Degrees of Change: Why Water Temperatures Matter

Estuaries are transition zones where land meets water, ocean meets rivers, and saltwater meets fresh. Climate change and shifting water temperatures are among the most pressing considerations for ecosystem resiliency, and estuaries are no exception.

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Jan 10, 2024

Bridging the Digital Divide

A collaborative research team led by Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability is working to lessen the digital divide for small rural water utilities and helping them fulfill reporting requirements.
image: Hurricane Florence from space.

Jan 9, 2024

50-year Trend in Atlantic Hurricane Escalation

New research from Rowan University climate scientist Andra Garner shows changes to Atlantic hurricanes over the past 50 years, with storms developing and strengthening faster.