Last year’s rate of average global sea level rise was 0.23 inches per year, higher than the expected 0.17 inches per year, NASA found. The rise follows are trend of rapidly increasing rates over the past 30 years.

Global sea level rose faster than expected in 2024, mostly because of ocean water expanding as it warms, or thermal expansion. According to a NASA-led analysis, last year's rate of rise was 0.23 inches (0.