Tropical Storm Melissa Brought Coastal Flooding, Beach Erosion, Rough Surf and Rip Currents to the Eastern Seaboard

(MORE: What Is the Difference Between Subtropical and Tropical Storms?)

The worst impacts occurred along the Eastern Seaboard between Oct. 9 and Oct. 12. Winds gusted to 60 mph on Nantucket Island and 59 mph in Provincetown and Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

Strong wind gusts downed one tree on a vehicle in the south Boston suburb of Dedham, Massachusetts, Wednesday night, Oct. 9, according to the National Weather Service. There were numerous other reports of trees and wires down across southeastern Massachusetts Thursday, Oct. 10, and Friday, Oct. 11.

Coastal flooding during the evening high tides on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10 shut down sections of U.S. 30 and U.S. 40 west of Atlantic City, New Jersey. A portion of U.S. 30 was closed due to flooding again during the evening high tide on Oct. 11. State Highway 47 in Wildwood, New Jersey, was also closed due to coastal flooding.

Reedville, Virginia, reported midday Oct. 11 that most neighborhood docks were underwater and estimated this was the highest tide there in at least the past three years.

Coastal flooding also prompted road closures in parts of Delaware and Maryland, including Ocean City, on Friday, Oct. 11.

This event was ongoing for several days, extended across multiple high-tide cycles, allowing water to pile up in vulnerable areas.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.