Nor’easter Pummels Long Island Beaches

NASSAU COUNTY, NY - Jones Beach and TOBAY Beach were just two of many areas heavily impacted by the nor’easter which brought heavy rain and coastal flooding on Friday afternoon.

While further north was being hit with snow, Long Island felt mother nature’s fury in a different way. The National Weather Service issued a Coastal Flood Statement as strong winds contributed to coastal flooding in flood-prone areas.

On Friday afternoon, just around the approaching high tide, TOBAY Beach felt some of the heaviest impacts from the coastal impacts of the nor’easter. Extreme erosion and water levels completely took over the beach as the tide rolled in. All three tunnels at the beach were flooded by a combination of rainwater and groundwater rising. The strong coastal impacts appeared to have broken a walkway off from the concession and restroom building.

Jones Beach State Park employees could be seen sandbagging and putting up caution tape blocking off fishing piers on the bayside as the tide continued to rise to a height that is above average.

The Wantagh Parkway, just north of the roundabout at Jones Beach State Park, was flooded by a combination of rainwater and the rising tide. New York State Department of Transportation crews were seen blocking off the middle and right lanes of the northbound and southbound sides due to the depth of the water.

In addition to the coastal flooding, strong sustained winds of 20-30mph with gusts of up to 50mph were expected to slam communities along the southern coast of Long Island.