OC Today-Dispatch OCTOBER 17, 2025
STUBBORNLY LOCAL, EQUALLY INDEPENDENT
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PRICELESS
PHOTO COURTESY TYLER LAYTON
STORM RIDE Local surfer Gavin Bren is pictured working a solid swell on Monday once the ocean cleaned up enough for riding after the weekend Nor’easter. The steady west wind helped provide excellent conditions on Monday and Tuesday. See page 71 for more photos and page 3 for storm recap.
Moratorium extended Biking lane? The Ocean City Council agreed Tuesday to allow its year-long pause on issuing new short-term rental licenses in MH and R1 zones to continue for another year. Members also agreed to look for some way to appease traditional neighborhood supporters and allow vacation rentals. — PAGE 12
Though it’s early, State Highway and Ocean City officials have discussed making the current bus lane for bikes only, relocating buses to the right lane on Coastal — PAGE 20
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OC Today-Dispatch
OCTOBER 17, 2025
OCTOBER 17, 2025
OC Today-Dispatch
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SUBMITTED PHOTO/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
Sand piled up against the east side of the sea wall at 15th Street on Sunday, burying the beach access steps at the Boardwalk.
Storm brings flooding, sand erosion, but little wreckage By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor (Oct. 17, 2025) Ocean City suffered no significant damage from the nor’easter that hit the mid-Atlantic region Sunday, according to City Manager Terry McGean. While flooding and a brief power outage affected several areas in town throughout the day Sunday, the city reported the effects of the nor’easter were less severe than what was initially projected in the days leading up to the storm’s arrival. On Monday, in the hours following the storm, McGean reported some beach erosion – the severity of which would be determined after tides recede – and sand accumulation at the inlet parking lot. He said the public works department began clearing sand Monday morning in preparation for Sunfest, which will take place at the Inlet lot Oct. 23-26. “We do not appear to have suffered any major damage,” he said. The National Weather Service issued several warnings and advisories late last week in anticipation of the approaching storm. The agency forecasted moderate to major coastal flooding, wind gusts between 55-60 mph, and high rainfall totals along the coast. The Town of Ocean City also began issuing warnings of its own last Friday, informing residents and visitors of the potential for high winds, king tides and dangerous surf conditions. The intensity of those warnings increased Saturday afternoon, when Mayor Rick Meehan and Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald released a video message, in which they likened the storm’s effects to those of Superstorm Sandy in 2012. “We want our residents, visitors, and business owners to take this storm seriously and begin preparing now,” Meehan said in a news release. In addition to its weather warnings, the city also announced it had activated its Joint Information Center, which coordinates communication and information sharing, and had
BREAKFAST PHOTO COURTESY OF FRACTURED LENS PHOTOGRAPHY
While last weekend’s severe weather was less intense than expected, Ocean City still saw downtown flooding as a result of the storm at high tides.
opened the Ocean City convention center as a temporary storm shelter. By Sunday afternoon, however, the National Weather Service had reported some improvements in weather conditions. Still, the city continued to warn residents of potential flooding. “We continue to monitor the storm’s progression and will provide updates as necessary,” Meehan said in a news release Sunday afternoon. “While wind conditions have improved slightly, we are expecting moderate flooding during the high tide cycles. Residents and visitors, specifically in the downtown and bayside areas, could experience increased flooding during the bayside high tide cycle after 3 p.m.” Flooding in the downtown area resulted in temporary road closures and disruptions to the Ocean City Beach Bus service Sunday afternoon. However, with weather conditions improving, the city announced it would close its storm shelter at the convention center by 6 p.m. McGean said a total of six individuals, all homeless, had See SAND Page 6
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