Storms Drive Rapid Migration of Rhode Island Barrier, Defying Sea-Level Rise.
The Napatree Point barrier in Rhode Island has shifted due to storms, with little change from 1883 to 1939 but rapid retreat from 1945 to 1975. The removal of the foredune in 1938 allowed for landward migration in later storms. Since 1975, the barrier has stayed mostly in place despite rising sea levels, showing the importance of storms in barrier movement.