Several recent studies have suggested that global warming and an accompanying rise in ocean temperatures might increase both the strength and frequency of hurricanes. The changing climate could also result in higher sea levels.
Geography puts New York in 'danger zone' for hurricane
"Adding as little as 1.5 feet of sea level rise by the 2050s to the surge for a Category 3 hurricane on a worst-case storm track as described above would cause extensive flooding in many parts of the city," suggests Climate Systems Research at Columbia University.
"Areas potentially under water include the Rockaways, Coney Island, much of southern Brooklyn and Queens, portions of Long Island City, Astoria, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, lower Manhattan and eastern Staten Island from Great Kills Harbor north to the Verrazano Bridge."
Sounds like exactly where all the new development is going. This was smart planning.