By BRUCE SMITH
Associated Press

GEORGETOWN, S.C. (AP) - Rising sea level may be hard to notice in cities where seawalls and docks line the shorefront. But it's easy to see down a winding coastal dirt road in Georgetown County.

Clemson University researchers have compared aerial photographs taken over six decades at Strawberry Swamp at Hobcaw Barony on Winyah Bay. And their study shows rising sea levels have resulted in about a 300% increase in salt marsh in the area - from about four acres to more than 16 acres.

As the freshwater forest wetlands have been converted into a salt marsh, dead trees in the water bear silent witness to how rising sea level is changing the landscape.

The study says sea level rise in the area has averaged 3 to 4 millimeters a year during the past century.

Live 5 Meteorologist Chad Watson has your Friday forecast:

Clouds will give way to plenty of sunshine on Friday. Highs are headed back into the mid to upper 70s on an easterly breeze around 10-12mph. A few clouds return later this evening but it should be a great time to be outside as we head into the weekend.

Live 5 Meteorologist Chad Watson has your Tuesday forecast:

Morning clouds are proving pesky on Tuesday, keeping the morning temps in the mid to upper 50s but 60s should return my the mid-day hour. This afternoon clouds should break up and we are back to sunshine with temps in the lower 70s. Winds stay more out of the east today, around 10-12mph. This evening looks very mild with temps in the 60s for dinner time.