[nusq]

Gravity is not the same around the Globe, there is something called the Geoid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoid.

Also, sea level is determined by a number of factors including astronomical and predictable, like moon, sun and other planets gravity influence, or random meteorological events like winds, low or high pressure systems and land mass configuration. All these contribute to the tide cycle and the sea level anywhere in the globle.

For example, there are places in the world with huge tide amplitudes like 12 m or so and other with no tides at all (excluding meteorological events).

The problem is the "mean sea level rise". The "mean sea level" is usually determined by and average of at least 19 years of measurements of the sea level, which is approximately the time it takes to complete a full moon cycle.

[BurningFrog]

None of this explains why a small change in ocean water volume would be distributed unevenly across the planet.

[knowaveragejoe]

The earth is huge(compared to us), so it's hard to grasp why it doesn't work as seemingly instantaneously as bowl of water, for example. Eventually, in a perfect vacuum, that would be the case.

[snowwrestler]

The changes that are producing the change in sea water volume, also have other effects on some of the things that influence sea water distribution.

For example melting freshwater ice not only adds volume to the ocean, it also adds mass, and changes salinity, which changes temperature, which itself affects volume, and also influences ocean circulation patterns.

And since winds are powered and directed by heat energy in the atmosphere, changing the amount and/or pattern of heat in the atmosphere will also change the wind patterns.

The shape of the ocean floor is slightly affected by the weight of the sea water on top of it. Changes in sea water distribution due to other factors might also result in changes in relative ocean basin depth--areas with more water mass will depress the crust a bit farther into the mantle; while areas with less water mass will rebound slightly.

[Someone]

One simple reason is that water tends to flow towards the lowest point. Since there are height differences on earth, distribution will not be even.

Another is that polar ice, through its gravitational pull, pulls water in the direction of the poles. If it melts, it (on average) moves away from the poles, decreasing that pull towards the poles.

[papa_bear]

Maybe not evenly, but proportionally?

[nusq]

You are underestimating the complexity of water and land mass interactions.

[chadzawistowski]

Tradewinds?

[dghughes]

Tides in the Bay of Fundy here in the Maritimes Canada are 15m (50 feet). And in some places the water comes in so fast there is a mini-tidal wave the tidal bore.