The surf during the winter months regularly cause flooding along the North Shore, which may lead to temporary closure of
Kamehameha Highway,
erosion of some beaches, and take a toll on oceanfront homes. North Shore is known for its extreme high surf in the winter season, starting around early November and possibly lasting to as long as June or July. Waves around this time are around 16 feet on average as measured from top to bottom of the waves' "face" -- the side of the wave that faces the shore. However, during the peak of the season, these waves can rise to around 45 to even 60 feet in size. Because of this extreme size and power that occurs every winter,
coastal erosion increases and can pose a great threat to houses along the shoreline. Moreover, these intense swells also cause the tide to rise to unusually high levels, further contributing to coastal erosion and also leading to major flooding throughout the North Shore. These floods can disrupt
coastal wetlands, putting important ecosystems in danger and threatening their habitat. It can also greatly damage business and economy in the North Shore, especially in
Haleiwa, as it can damage shop interiors, merchandise, and force certain businesses to close. Climate change, referring to a change in the usual weather patterns and temperatures, often results in rising sea levels because of thermal expansion in the water. As our ocean waters continue to get hotter due to climate change, it expands resulting in the rising sea levels. From 1950 to 2015, ocean temperatures rose by 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Because Earth's oceans are so massive, this is extremely significant. This change in temperature has led to more than 6 inches of sea level rise, causing on average a 233% increase in
tidal flooding across the U.S. Higher seas amplify the effects of
storms,
hurricanes,
rainstorms, and high tide, increasing the significance of these events. ==Communities==