Dr. Paul Gayes at the Center for Marine and Wetland Studies at C.C.U. says storms that stay far out to sea, like Bill, can help replenish the beach.
We usually think tropical storms are bad for Grand Strand beaches, but in Bill's case, one expert says the storm may have done some good.
When a tropical storm makes a direct hit on the beach, it can cause serious erosion problems. But Dr. Paul Gayes at the Center for Marine and Wetland Studies at C.C.U. says storms that stay far out to sea, like Bill, can help replenish the beach.
That's because their waves touch the bottom deeper than normal waves. Dr. Gayes said, "They're able to drive some sediment in closer to the beach because of the way the waves move sediment back and forth, and so in reality some of these long period swells tend to drive sediment into our larger system."
Gayes says it doesn't look like Hurricane Bill had much of an impact on beaches.
The center will find out more in its annual survey of local beaches next week.
