Sea level rise (UK)
Annual mean sea level at Newlyn, Cornwall (UK's longest tide gauge record) relative to the 1981–2010 baseline, in millimetres.
142 mm
+14.5% vs 2023
As of 2024
Historical trend
Trend summary
Annual mean sea level at Newlyn, Cornwall was approximately 140mm above the 1981–2010 baseline in 2024, based on PSMSL tide gauge data.
Trend
- Sea level at Newlyn has risen by approximately 180mm since 1950 relative to the 1981–2010 average, at a long-run rate of around 1.8mm per year.
- The rate of rise has increased in recent decades; the 21st-century rate at this gauge is approximately 3.5mm per year.
- Year-to-year variability is significant (±50–80mm) owing to wind patterns, atmospheric pressure, and ocean circulation.
Context
- Newlyn, Cornwall (PSMSL station 9) has the longest continuous UK tide gauge record, beginning in 1915.
- Relative sea level as measured by a coastal tide gauge reflects both absolute sea level change and local land movement; Newlyn is in an area of very slight land subsidence.
Commentary contains no editorial judgement — describes direction, magnitude, and official projections only.