Giant boulders and Last Interglacial storm intensity in the North Atlantic

Significance The Last Interglacial was the last period of the Earth’s history when climate was warmer than preindustrial, with higher polar temperatures and higher sea levels. Based on geologic evidence in Bermuda and the Bahamas, studies suggest that during this period the North Atlantic was characterized by “superstorms” more intense than any observed historically. Here we present data and models showing that, under conditions of higher sea level, historically observed hurricanes can explain geologic features previously interpreted as evidence for more intense Last Interglacial storm activity. Our results suggest that, even without an increase in the intensity of extreme storms, cliffs and coastal barriers will be subject to significantly higher wave-induced energies under even modestly higher sea levels.