APPENDIX M: DATA SUMMARY FOR THE STORM OF 6 FEBRUARY 1978 



1. The storm of 6 February 1978 was an intense "northeaster" which 

 became known as the "Blizzard of '78." In addition to high waves and tides, 

 the storm produced heavy snowfalls which paralyzed many mid-Atlantic and New 

 England states. Newspapers reported erosion from Maryland to Maine with the 

 beaches of Massachusetts being the hardest hit. Damage estimates reached 

 $400 million and included the destruction of 2,000 coastal homes in 

 Massachusetts alone (Jones 1978). The development of the storm is shown in 

 the synoptic weather map. 



2. Though its effects were much less severe in New Jersey, both Long 

 Beach Island and Ludlam Beach eroded. A peak tide of 1.7 m above msl was 

 measured at the Atlantic City tide gage with a surge of 1.0 m. Based on the 

 surge, the storm had a recurrence interval of once every 3 years. Visual 

 estimates of breaking wave heights taken at Ludlam Beach during the storm 

 reached 4.5 m at the outer edge of the wide surf zone and 1.2m nearshore. 



3. Surveys at both Long Beach Island and Ludlam Beach were conducted 

 immediately after the storm; however, the prestorm survey was done in 

 December following the 19 December 1977 storm. Although the 6 February storm 

 was the next biggest event, measured beach changes cannot be attributed 

 solely to one storm. 



4. Although both sites are close in proximity, they both responded 

 very differently to this storm. Shoreline movement at Long Beach Island was 

 -1.4 m, whereas the shoreline accreted 2.4 m at Ludlam Beach. Slope changes 

 at both sites showed a flattening of the foreshore. Erosion was most 

 significant and nearly universal at Long Beach Island with all but profile 

 line 20 eroding (profile line 20 is just north of a groin). The median 

 erosion was -22.29 m^/m. Most interesting is profile line 14 which lost 



34 m^/m of material, all from the dune, whereas during the 19 December 1977 

 storm (Appendix L) it suffered only berm erosion. Dune scarping occurred at 

 all lines except profile line 20. 



5. The median change at Ludlam Beach was considerably less, only 

 -3.5 m^/m with 70 percent of the profiles eroding. There was also 

 considerable variation between the lines with profile lines 4, 8, and 11 

 changing little, and profile line 18 downdrift of the Sea Isle City groins 

 losing -34.1 m^/m. 



Ml 



