Darryl Fornatora goes to the beach almost everyday, whether to go running, swimming or surfing. And he has noticed something strange that's happened this summer…..
Darryl says "I'm at the beach quite a bit and lately it seems the tides have definitely been quite a bit higher."
In fact, sea levels have risen all along the east coast by as much as two feet, producing some minor flooding and to Darryl--less beach to run on and less wave to surf.
Fornatora says "It hasn't really effected me significantly but as you can see on a day like today, with the high tide the beach access is limited and from a surfing standpoint the waves tend to be a little mushier."
Minor nuisances but major curiosity for scientists.
At least "part" of the mystery has been solved, in a new report by NOAA.
So what is it then? Is it global warming? El Nino? Or maybe even a tsunami? Well, not exactly.
Scientists have found one possible explanation to help contribute to the extra high tides.....that's the Gulf Stream.
The Gulf Stream is a river of warmer water off shore that flows from the Caribbean into the North Atlantic.
Because of the swift current, the water is raised on average about 6 feet from the middle of the stream higher than the surrounding cooler water.
When the Gulf Stream slowed down, that height fell a bit, allowing the water to push back toward the coastline and raise the sea level right along the shore.
The bigger question is 'why'? And when will it go back to normal?
Those answers will remain a mystery until scientists can unlock even more of Mother Nature's secrets.
And for beachgoers like Darryl, a day on a smaller stretch of beach is better than a day at the office!
