Replication Data for: Relative Sea-Level Rise Along the U.S. Gulf Coast: Annual Budget, Dynamics, and Variability

The Gulf Coast, with major ports and industries, faces challenges from rising sea levels, hurricanes, and land subsidence. We used advanced statistical methods to analyze factors like ocean warming, Loop Current circulation, ice-sheet melt, and local land motion driving sea-level changes from 2003 to 2021. Unlike linear approaches, our method captures abrupt accelerations and slowdowns, reflecting short-term variability in each driver’s contribution. Water levels near Florida and the central Gulf are rising faster than in west Texas due to stronger ocean warming and circulation changes. Land subsidence is a critical issue in parts of Louisiana and Texas. Annually examining these drivers shows their combined effect often deviates from a simple sum, sometimes amplifying or canceling each other. Coastal altimetry data reveal nearshore sea-level rises around twice as large as open-ocean measurements, crucial for local agencies and planners preparing for hazards like storm-surge flooding and coastal erosion. Our findings highlight the value of precise coastal observations and time-varying statistical models to guide resilience efforts in the Gulf Coast region.