THIS week has served as a reminder just how a few inches of rainfall can bring things to a halt - but one map shows how years worth of rising sea levels can have devastating consequences.

With the arrival of Storm Christoph earlier this week, much of the North-East and North Yorkshire has been hampered by adverse weatehr conditions, mainly brought on by spells of heavy rain.

Impressive but sometimes nailbitingly scary scenes have been captured, with one dramatic scene on Tuesday night showing a delivery driver being rescued from a fast-flowing ford in County Durham.

SEE MORE: Man rescued after delivery van gets stuck trying to cross ford in Weardale 

The Northern Echo:

But although we hope we never see such scenes under normal circumstances, a climate change organisation has predicted what areas will be hardest-hit as sea levels continue to rise.

Climate Central, which is a non-profit organisation which reports the latest climate news from across the globe, has developed this interactive map showing the predicted situation (but remember, it is just a prediction).

The organisation warns users that the map does not account for factors including the frequency of storms, erosion, or how rivers contribute to rising sea levels.

It also warns that estimates do not factor in man-made structures to prevent further damage including seawalls - meaning it is likely some areas will not face the true expected scale of damage.

We've looked at what the predictions are for rising sea levels in the North-East and North Yorkshire by 2030.

The Northern Echo:

Across the North-East, much of the region looks set to escape the predictions of widespread flooding as a result of rising sea levels.

But on Teesside, the picture shows areas in Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar are at greatest risk as those areas are highlighted in red, meaning they could be partially below the annual flood level by 2030.

The Northern Echo:

Meanwhile in parts of South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Gateshead, a rise in sea levels could see the River Tyne burst its banks over the same time period.

The map suggests that areas including Swalwell, which is known for its close proximity to the Metrocentre, could be left underwater in the next ten years.

The Northern Echo:

Down the region in Whitby, North Yorkshire, a rise in sea levels would not appear to affect the coastal town in the way it affects Teesside and Tyneside. 

Due to its height above sea level, much of the town looks to be spared from the map's eerie predictions.