January 2015 Nor'easter

From Jan. 28-29, NOS's National Geodetic Survey (NGS) collected damage assessment imagery in the aftermath of the Jan. 2015 Nor'easter that blanketed the region in snow and caused significant storm surge along the New England coast. NGS imagery covered coastal portions of New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. Specific areas were identified by the state of New Jersey and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). NGS expanded the coverage area based on information from open source reporting, internal resources, and the USGS vulnerability index.

Move your mouse back and forth over each image to view a "before and after" comparison. "Before" images are ESRI image basemaps; "After" images were captured by NOAA's National Geodetic Survey in the aftermath of the storm.

Photographs were taken by a team of NOAA aviators flying above the area at 7,500 feet aboard NOAA's King Air aircraft equipped with specialized remote-sensing cameras.

The top priorities of NGS aerial imagery are to support safe navigation and capture damage to coastal areas caused by a storm. Priorities are centered on major ports and waterways supporting the Marine Transportation System; known or projected severe impacts to coastlines and critical infrastructure; and areas of severe flooding impacting coastal communities.

Aerial imagery is a crucial tool used by federal, state, and local officials as well as the public when responding to natural disasters. In this case, the imagery provides a cost-effective way to better understand the damage sustained to both property and the environment.