Rising sea levels and a shrinking shoreline are threatening the future of a Rutgers research facility along the New Jersey coast, where scientists are studying the effects of a changing climate. The Rutgers Marine Field Station in Little Egg Harbor Township is already experiencing more frequent t idal flooding that can make reaching the facility difficult. “At least twice a month you’re blocked from coming into the station at some period,” Thomas Grothues of the Rutgers Marine Field Station said. The shoreline around the field station has also been shrinking. Three decades ago, it extended 60 to 100 feet farther into the water than it does today. “The marsh edge here tends to fall off in chunks. It’s not gradual, but pieces calve off in a similar way that the glacier edges calve off and fall off,” Grothues explained. A recently produced documentary highlights how rising sea levels threaten the facility’s future. Researchers say the challenges there reflect issues familiar to coastal communities elsewhere. “We are all experiencing sea level rise here in New Jersey and that it’s not just a scientific story, it’s a personal story,” Lisa Auermuller of Rutgers’ Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub said. The concerns come after a summer marked by extreme heat, humidity and repeated flash flooding in the region. Scientists caution that one season alone cannot be definitively linked to an evolving climate, but they are tracking long-term changes. In July, the National Weather Service issued nearly three times as many flash-flood warnings impacting New Jersey compared with the 10-year average for the same month. Scientists say a warmer atmosphere has the potential to hold more moisture. “If we had multiple years in a row with that type of flash flooding incidents, like we had this summer, then you would be able to say that that is a strong signal of climate change,” Auermuller said. The world’s oceans have also been extraordinarily warm. NOAA said the ocean surface temperature reached a record high for July. At the Jersey Shore, Denise Vaccaro of Forked River noticed the warmth firsthand. “The water is actually so warm, I can’t believe it,” Vaccaro said. Auermuller said conditions in one place are part of a much larger system. “We’re part of a really giant system and that system is connected, the water connects all of us,” she said. For researchers at the Rutgers Marine Field Station, climate change remains a key focus as the facility confronts the vulnerability of a changing coast. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. Climate change Sep 2 Earth set to exceed global warming threshold, UN report warns. What happens now? United Kingdom Jun 18 An ancient oak tree said to have sheltered legendary Robin Hood has died World news Jan 27 ‘Doomsday Clock' moves closer to midnight over nuclear weapons, climate change and AI ...read more read less