Columbus Day weekend storm causes "moderate to major" beach erosion

Will the Jersey Shore ever get a break from what has been, so far this fall, a temperamental Mother Nature?

With the beaches already depleted of sand from a parade of earlier hurricanes, the Columbus Day weekend nor’easter caused even more erosion to the vulnerable shoreline.

A preliminary damage assessment conducted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection found that some parts of the shore suffered moderate to major beach and dune erosion from the Oct. 12-13 nor’easter, including Ocean City and other towns in Cape May County.

According to the report, there was some type of damage to practically the entire shoreline from Monmouth County to Cape May County – with “notable erosion” occurring on the beaches south of Manasquan Inlet, the divider between Ocean and Monmouth counties.

“In addition, wind-blown sand upland of the beach and debris along beaches was widespread as was damage to fencing and crossovers,” the report says.

The Columbus Day weekend nor’easter represented another serious blow to some beaches already compromised by the earlier impacts of hurricanes Erin, Imelda and Humberto. Although the hurricanes loomed hundreds of miles offshore, they generated heavy surf and gusty winds that eroded the beaches and dunes.

“While many beaches may have withstood the impacts of the Oct. 12-13 nor’easter, combined impacts of Hurricane Erin, the recent effects of nearby Hurricane Imelda and offshore Hurricane Humberto, and this nor’easter are apparent in the form of more heavily sloped erosion, several groins (coastal protection structures constructed perpendicular to beaches) becoming exposed or more exposed, and more frequent wave run-up to upper beaches and seawalls and to or into the dunes,” the DEP reported.

In Brigantine, Atlantic City and Ocean City, some of the dunes were sheared away to create sharp drop-offs resembling mini-cliffs, a process called “scarping.”

The focus of heavy erosion in Atlantic City continues to be north of Central Pier, including St. James Place and especially north of Garden Pier on New Jersey Avenue, the DEP reported.

Ocean City’s beach and dune erosion was concentrated between First and 11th streets, an area traditionally vulnerable to storm damage. The erosion included new and additional dune scarping or dune loss in that entire stretch and with wave run-up under the Boardwalk at Fifth and Sixth streets.

    A barricade blocks access to Ocean City's eroded beach at Fifth Street immediately following the storm.
  

Some areas of new and additional dune crossover damage were reported in Brigantine, Atlantic City and Ocean City. Areas of vertical dune scarping in excess of 5 feet in height were observed in Brigantine, Atlantic City and Ocean City, the DEP said.

Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian said the city is working on plans to restore the most seriously damaged beaches by trucking in sand. The plan is to have those beaches ready for the 2026 summer tourism season.

“I will be meeting with representatives of the Army Corps of Engineers and continuing to work with Congressman Jeff Van Drew, state, county and local officials to secure funding for scheduled replenishment for our beaches,” Gillian said in a statement about longer-range plans in Ocean City.

In other Cape May County shore towns, moderate to major beach and dune erosion occurred in parts of Strathmere, Avalon, North Wildwood, Wildwood and Cape May.

Approximately two blocks of total or near-total dune loss occurred in Strathmere between Seaview and Seacliff Avenues, resulting of wave run-up and overwash on nearby streets, the DEP reported.

Some areas of new and additional dune crossover damage were reported in Strathmere, Avalon and North Wildwood. Areas of vertical dune scarping in excess of 10 feet in height were reported in Strathmere and Avalon and in excess of 5 feet in height in North Wildwood.

There was also evidence of notable tide/wave run-up and ponding in Wildwood up to and under the Boardwalk and to the dunes in Wildwood Crest.  Wave run-up to and into the dunes or to the upper beach occurred throughout the rest of the Cape May County shoreline.

Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio said the beaches and dunes in his town suffered only minor damage for the most part.

“In one of his many popular movies, Clint Eastwood famously asked the question: “Do you feel lucky?” After last weekend’s nor’easter – and the impact it could have had on our region – I think we can all count our lucky stars because the coastal storm we had seen coming and carefully planned for was not as severe as some forecasts predicted,” Desiderio said in a statement.

Desiderio noted that Sea Isle’s first responders, Office of Emergency Management and other city employees took steps to prepare for the storm and “are dedicated to keeping everyone safe and well-informed prior to and during bad weather events.”

    Looking north, the dunes in Sea Isle City still form a continuous, protective barrier despite the storm's pounding waves. Sea Isle's beaches generally suffered only minor damage.