Climate indicators · University of Colorado Sea Level Research Group
Global mean sea level
+11.0 cm
last 12 months against 1993, satellite altimetry. Rise over the last ten years: 3.9 mm a year. In the 1990s: 2.8 mm a year.
What it measures
The average height of the ocean surface, measured from space by radar satellites since late 1992.
Why it matters
Seas rise because warmer water expands and because glaciers and ice sheets melt. Higher seas push storm floods further inland.
Source and method
University of Colorado Sea Level Research Group. Values with seasonal signals and glacial isostatic adjustment removed, as published. Rates are straight-line fits over the named period.
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