Vital Signs
Important signals of the overall direction of sea level rise, updated with the latest observations.
These indicators track the main drivers of global sea level. Satellites measure the total rise. Gravity satellites weigh the water added to the ocean and the ice lost from Greenland and Antarctica. Argo floats measure how much the ocean has expanded as it warms.
Global mean sea level
Since 1993
…mm
Ocean mass
Rate
…mm/yr
Steric height
Rate
…mm/yr
Greenland ice mass
Rate
…Gt/yr
Antarctic ice mass
Rate
…Gt/yr
Sea level budget since 2005
- Total rise, satellites
- … mm/yr
- Added ocean mass
- … mm/yr
- Expansion, upper 2000 m
- … mm/yr
Mass and expansion together explain most of the observed rise. The remainder reflects warming below 2000 m and differences in record length.