Author Archive

Storm-Related Research and Scientific Learning Soars in Hurricane Sandy’s Wake

Wall Street Journal: As someone who came to New Jersey specifically to study sea-level rise and catastrophic storms, Ben Horton felt superstorm Sandy had presented him with a gift, albeit a grim one. “There was so much interest in science explaining why Sandy caused so much damage late in the hurricane season,” said Mr. Horton, a British native who is a professor of sea-level research at Rutgers University. “It provided a focus for us.” Three years since Sandy caused historic damage to the region, scientific learning...

Map plots rising seas street by Jersey street

Wall Street Journal: While superstorm Sandy revealed the Northeast's vulnerability, a new map by New Jersey scientists suggests how rising seas could make future storms even worse. The map shows ocean waters surging more than a mile into communities along Raritan Bay, engulfing nearly all of New Jersey's barrier islands and covering northern sections of the New Jersey Turnpike and land surrounding the Port Newark Container Terminal. Such damage could occur under a scenario in which sea levels rise 6 feet--or a...