Damaging coastal storm conditions have become twice as frequent at a New Jersey Beach since 1979
Storm conditions capable of causing major coastal erosion at New Jersey's North Beach on Sandy Hook are occurring about twice as often as they did in 1979, according to Rutgers researchers. The finding offers new evidence that storm impacts are becoming more frequent along the Mid-Atlantic coast.
Coastal storm conditions at New Jersey's North Beach on Sandy Hook are occurring roughly twice as frequently as they did in 1979, according to Rutgers researchers. The study, published in the journal Earth's Future, analyzed images of sediment beneath the beach alongside water-level measurements, wave records, and computer modeling.
By examining buried layers, researchers identified conditions associated with severe erosion and determined how often they have occurred over more than four decades. The research began in 2019 when co-authors W. John Schmelz and J.N. Stanley, then graduate students, utilized older ground-penetrating radar equipment donated to the department to study North Beach.
This beach, known for its seaward expansion, had been monitored since 2008. The team found 20 buried surfaces associated with major erosion events between 2009 and 2019, preserving evidence of past storms. Using computer simulations and measurements, they identified the combination of high water levels and powerful waves that can cause significant erosion, estimating that such storms now occur twice as often as in 1979.
While the total number of storms hasn't doubled, the frequency of storms with the right conditions for major erosion has increased. The study's findings, which reflect broader regional storm patterns, have implications for understanding coastal erosion along the Mid-Atlantic coast.
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