Shore Environment

Jersey or Iceland? Deep Freeze Turns Beach Sand Into Concrete, Streets Snow-Coated

by
Daniel Nee
March 13, 2022

It may not have been the black sand beaches of Vik, Iceland, but the Jersey Shore put on something of a unique show Saturday for the hardy few who braved the elements to check out the beach.

The beach in Vik, Iceland. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Frozen sand at Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., March 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

The morning began with rain, then sleet, before clouds rolled in and temperatures plummeted. Some snow followed, creating icy spots on roads, some snow-covered areas on less-traveled local streets, and a beachfront that was as unique as it was intriguingly beautiful – as seen in our short film above (no commercials).

A frozen beach in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., during a storm March 12, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

On the beach, sharp grains of sand pelted against any slightly exposed skin and gathered in pockets, propelled by 50 m.p.h. wind gusts that made the scene look more like a wasteland than a wonderland. The sand, as we found out quickly, had effectively flash-froze by 5 p.m. Saturday as temperatures plunged into the 20s. A normally soft, sandy beach turned into the equivalent of conrete covered in a dusting of snow.

The frigid air, snow-covered jetty and glistening-blue water confirmed that winter hasn’t quite left yet.

A frozen beach in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., during a storm March 12, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Sunday’s high is expected reach 36 degrees under mostly sunny skies. After a sub-freezing night, temperatures will move into the 50s Monday and ultimately close to 70 degrees as a warm front rolls through next week.