Virginia peninsula in 'dire straits' because of global warming

By David Macaulay 247-7838
10:18 PM EST, February 15, 2010 HAMPTON — Sobering evidence of how storms will have an increasingly devastating effect on the Peninsula as the century progresses is outlined in a new model by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. “This is an important issue for us to get moving on,” Eric Walberg, physical and environmental planning administrator with the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, told the Hampton City Council last week. The hydrodynamic model produced by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science predicts the impacts of future storms. The effects of Hurricane Isabel, a Category 1 storm, in 2003 are replicated given predicted sea level rises over the century. Much of eastern Hampton and Poquoson was flooded during Isabel. By 2085 much of the central Peninsula would be under water during an Isabel-type storm, according to the model. Toward the end of the century, a Category 1 storm would have the same effect as a Category 2 storm does with today’s sea level, he said. “There’s a couple of important take-home messages,” Walberg said. “Over time moderate storm events like Isabel or the recent nor’easter will create flooding that’s more severe. “The other thing,” he said, “and this is the truly troubling point in my mind, is over time were going to become more vulnerable to catastrophic flooding from a larger storm. We are going to reach the point where a strong Category 1 or Category 2 storm could really create a difficult issue.” … Walberg presented measured data on sea level rises over the last 80 years at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay which showed a 14 inch rise in that time. The rise meant Isabel caused a larger storm surge than the 1933 hurricane, even though the earlier storm was bigger, Walberg said. “What’s happening over time is that we are becoming more vulnerable to storm damage,” he said. Walberg said Hampton Roads “is in fairly dire straits over this issue.” … “That results in a level of sea level rise here in Hampton Roads which is roughly double that of what some areas of the East Coast, north and south of here are experiencing. … We have essentially a double whammy here,” Walberg said. …

Hampton Roads in ‘dire straits’ because of global warming predictions, says expert