ABSTRACT 


This study compares the effects of storm damage and the 


to equilibrium conditions on two oceanside and two bay- 


aches on Sandy Hook Spit, New Jersey. It was initially 


thesized that post-storm modification and return to equi- 


librium conditions on the bayside beaches would be delayed due 


to lower wave energies which were determined by their sheltered 


position with respect to ocean swell. 


Field data on 20 beach process and response variables were 


gathered from February 1972to Apri.1 1973. Linear correlation 


is used to identify the most influential process vari- 
ables and determine how the interrelationships among variables 
differ on each beach. The analysis confirms the importance of 
breaker height, wave steepness and wind direction on beach 
response. The correlations among variables on bayside beaches 
are lower than on oceanside beaches indicating that the local 
bay waves may be relatively insignificant in affecting substan- 
tial beach modification. 


Rates of beach change are related to weather patterns asso- 
ciated with the passage of mid-latitude cyclonic storms. The 
rate of beach response to changing weather conditions is con- 
siderably more rapid on oceanside beaches. Here, high energy, 
constructive waves occurring between storms rapidly reinstate 
non-storm equilibrium conditions. With return to storm condi- 
tions, the profile experiences a high rate of change. Bayside 
beaches appear to be more in equilibrium with storm conditions 
than oceanside beaches. Lower bayside wave energies occurring 
between storms have little effect on profile development, and 


foreshore slopes inherited from previous storms experience 


little change. 


Beach cycles associated with storm passage are compared to 
seasonal trends to test the applicability of a cyclic model of 
beach development to both oceanside and bayside beaches. Evi-


dence of a cyclic trend of development on the most exposed ocean 
site and seasonal development on the most sheltered bayside site 


suggests that high-energy, high-mobility East-Coast beaches will 
develop according to cyclic weather patterns whereas moderate- 
energy, low-mobility beaches will develop slowly and trends will 
only be conspicuous when seasonal comparisons are made. Using
the energy-mobility criteria for classification of beaches, 
a universal model is developed which describes beach modifica- 


tion on several categories of beach during passage of mid- 


latitude cyclonic storms. 


the effects Of storm damage and the 

bayside beaches would be delayed due ich were determined by their sheltered t to ocean swell. 

mine how the interrelationships among variables 'beach. The analysis confirms the importance of , wave steepness and wind direction on beach e correlations among variables on bayside beaches an on oceanside beaches indicating that the local ybe relatively insignificant in affecting substan- modification. 

s of beach change are related to weather patterns asso-th the passage of mid-latitude cyclonic storms. The response to changing weather conditions is con-rapid on oceanside beaches. Here, high energy, 

es occurring between stoms rapidly reinstate Ilibrium conditions. With return to storm condi- ofile experiences a high rate of change. Bayside

eai-to be more in equilibrium with storm conditions