When Superstorm Sandy blanketed the Eastern Seaboard in darkness as millions of homes and businesses' surrendered power, it also ripped away a reassurance that New York and its surrounding regions were immune to natural disasters.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo admits, "After what happened, what has been happening in the last few years, I don't think anyone can sit back anymore and say 'Well, I'm shocked at that weather pattern."
Sandy begs the question: was the hurricane an isolated incident, or an omen of things to come? Some experts, such as Princeton University Professor, say that the storm was merely "a foretaste of things to come," according to a CNN report.
Princeton geoscience professor Michael Oppenheimer states, "Climate change will probably increase storm intensity and size simultaneously, resulting in a significant intensification of storm surges."
CNN cites an intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that projects a rise in sea level by "5 to 10 inches over the next 15 years," which compliments warmer temperatures and encourages storm formation.
Columbia University's Ben Orlove writes, "Irene also arrived at a time of especially high tides, and its storm surges came within inches of flooding the sea wall. Storms and tides are natural, but sea level rise is not. As it continues, New York grows more vulnerable."
The site lists several potential measures to assist flood management in the future, including man-made islands, improved regulations, and sea walls.
Affected areas have begun to get back on their feet, but it will be a long while before the east coast fully recovers from the aftermath of Sandy.
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