ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, HIGHLANDS RECOVER FROM NOR’EASTER

By Emily Schopfer

The nor’easter that battered New Jersey at the end of last month brought downed power lines and heavy flooding to the neighboring coastal towns of Atlantic Highlands and Highlands. Now that the storm has passed, both towns are cleaning up.

STORM DAMAGE

While many areas within Highlands are true to its name and sit at an elevation well above sea level, several low-lying areas within the borough remain vulnerable to coastal flooding. In particular, Highlands’ downtown area of Huddy Park and Waterwitch and Bay avenues faced extreme tidal flooding throughout the weekend of Sept. 25 through 27.

According to local meteorologist Joe Martucci, the tidal flooding seen in Highlands the morning of Saturday, Sept. 26, was “the fourth highest tide on record” in the borough.

In addition to the heavy flooding, the Highlands Police Department reported a compromised telephone pole near Route 36, resulting in the closure of the Route 36 North ramp, according to a Sept. 27 Facebook post.

On Sept. 28, Highlands Emergency Management reported in a Facebook post that parts of southern Highlands would be losing power for several hours, as Jersey Central Power and Light crews made necessary repairs to the electrical grid.

In neighboring Atlantic Highlands, the area most impacted by flooding was the Atlantic High- lands Municipal Harbor. Even with the flooding, borough administrator Caleb Stratton said the borough “fared very well” and was as “prepared as we could be.”

The harbor did not lose any boats, and while low-lying areas flooded, damage to the marina and harbor was minimal, according to Stratton. Compared to Sea Bright, where first responders rescued 67 people, no rescues were made during the storm in Atlantic Highlands.

The borough experienced no significant power outages, but did have several downed wires and trees. According to the Atlantic Highlands Police Department, both Ocean Boulevard and East Highland Avenue had to be closed periodically due to downed trees.

In a Sept. 28 news release, Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone reported that the Henry Hudson Trail along the Bayshore in Atlantic Highlands was “closed due to debris and erosion.”

AFTERMATH AND CLEANUP

Now that the storm has passed, both boroughs are looking ahead. Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon posted an announcement on Facebook Sept. 30 that read, “The Borough will be conducting a town-wide curbside bulk pickup on Friday, October 9th, to assist residents with the removal of bulk items resulting from the recent storm.” The post instructed residents to place storm-related bulk items at the curb no later than Thursday evening, Oct. 8.

The Highlands Emergency Management team also announced that home cleanup kits are available in the borough hall parking lot at 151 Navesink Ave.

Atlantic Highlands Department of Public Work’s Director Jim Phillips announced Sept. 28 that “To assist residents with storm cleanup, violations will not be issued during the month of October 2026 for the brush collection period.”

The Atlantic Highlands Department of Public Works is scheduled to begin its townwide, zone-by-zone storm cleanup and brush collection Oct. 5 through the week of October. 25.

This article originally appeared in the October 8-14, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.