What causes shoreline erosion?
Hurricanes, nor’easters, and other storms cause seasonal fluctuations of the shoreline. Generally, beaches erode more in the stormy fall and winter months than in the calm summer months. Of course, when a beach is hit directly by a hurricane, beachfront erosion can be even more dramatic. Inlets are also affected by seasonal storms and can change configuration rapidly and severely as tremendous amounts of water and sand flow through them. In severe storms, it is even possible for new inlets to form and existing inlets to close. On sandy beaches, erosion associated with storms is often severe because large quantities of sand can be moved quickly offshore from the beach and dunes. This type of erosion is usually called “short-term” erosion because the shoreline can return to its original profile as conditions improve.
