Report: Storms driven by climate change will sunder barrier islands more often, including those at NSs
When it grows grey and ugly, its sea foam whipped by and carried on the winds, the Atlantic Ocean chews into the Eastern Seaboard, at times tearing islands in half, at others rearranging beaches by pushing sand around.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore witnessed that in August 2011, when Hurricane Irene dredged through the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge just north of the national seashore and ripped out sections of Highway 12. Tropical Storm Ida in 2009 inflicted much damage to Assateague Island National Seashore, leaving in its wake beach erosion, overwash, and damage to infrastructure.