Though New Jersey's Sandy-ravaged beaches reopened in time for the summer, a familiar feature was missing from many: the dunes which once barricaded the coastal towns and protected them from the ocean's threats.
One year later, amid the season capable of producing nasty nor'easters, storm-wary residents are wondering why the dunes have not been reconstructed along stretches of the now-delicate coastline.
When Sandy made landfall one year ago, the unprecedented storm surge wreaked havoc on the dune system that stretched from Monmouth to Ocean and Cape May counties.
Sandy was an intense hybrid storm, part tropical and part nor'easter, which took an unusual left turn resulting in extensive damage to the eastern United States.
Nor'easters are notorious for producing severe coastal flooding and erosion. Without a line of defense, another strong one could spell disaster for the still-recovering towns.
"A regular coastal nor'easter could be devastating to coastal New Jersey right now. These storms can be just as powerful as a strong tropical storm or minimal hurricane," AccuWeather.com Expert Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said. "They are very vulnerable right now."
This year, the risk for these coastal storms will arrive beginning in January but will become more likely during February and March.
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/noreasters-sandy-dunes/19379927
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