Photos: How Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge rearranged the Jersey Shore

Sandy's Storm Surge: Deadly & destructive

We talk a lot about "storm surge" when hurricanes threaten. As much as we try and explain the dangers of storms surge, or the fact that most hurricane related deaths and damage come from surge driven waters...it's a hard concept to visualize.

Coastal flooding in Mantoloking, N.J., taken from an Air National Guard helicopter.

Credit: NJNG/Scott Anema.

The USGS released some remarkable "before & after" photos showing just how devastating Sandy's storm surge was along the Jersey Shore.

The link below each image provides a zoomable larger version where you can really see the detail of how Sandy's surge wiped out homes and breached shoreline defenses. If you ever think of buying coastal property or "riding out" a hurricane on the beach, it might be wise to study these photos closely before making such a decision.

Take a close look: All images courtesy USGS.

Hurricane Sandy

Pre- and Post-Storm Photo Comparisons - New Jersey

Hurricane Sandy's landfall affected the coastlines over a broad swath of mid-Atlantic and North-eastern states, including New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. Breaching, overwash and erosion took place on many barrier islands, including some that are heavily populated and developed. The pre- and post-storm photos below were taken over a 200 km (125 miles) stretch of New Jersey shore. These locations represent a broad range of coastal configurations and their response to the storm. Pre-storm photos were acquired during a baseline survey May 21, 2009 and post-storm photos were acquired November 4-6, 2012.

Location 3: Oblique aerial photographs of Mantoloking, NJ. View looking west along the New Jersey shore. Storm waves and surge cut across the barrier island at Mantoloking, NJ, eroding a wide beach, destroying houses and roads, and depositing sand onto the island and into the back-bay. Construction crews with heavy machinery are seen clearing sand from roads and pushing sand seaward to build a wider beach and protective berm just days after the storm. The yellow arrow in each image points to the same feature.

Larger version here

Location 5: Oblique aerial photographs of Seaside Heights, NJ. View looking west along the New Jersey shore. Storm waves and surge destroyed the dunes and boardwalk, and deposited the sand on the island, covering roads. The red arrow points to a building that was washed off of its foundation and moved about a block away from its original location. The yellow arrow in each image points to the same feature.

Larger zoomable version here

Location 6: Oblique aerial photographs of Seaside Height Pier, NJ. View looking west along the New Jersey shore. Storm waves and surge eroded the beach and destroyed the seaward edge of the pier and deposited the roller coaster superstructure in the ocean. Sediment deposited on the island is visible in the background and indicates that overwash occurred here. The yellow arrow in each image points to the same feature.

Larger zoomable version here

Location 2: Oblique aerial photographs of Deal, NJ. View looking west along the New Jersey shore. Large erosional scarps are visible in the low cliff, indicating likely overtopping of the rock shore protection structures. The yellow arrow in each image points to the same feature

Larger zoomable version here.

Location 1: Oblique aerial photographs of Long Branch, NJ. View looking west along the New Jersey shore. Storm waves and currents removed sand from the beach exposing erosion control structures, including rock walls, concrete walls, and groins that protrude seaward perpendicular to the beach. The yellow arrow in each image points to the same feature

Larger zoomable version here.

PH