Mayor Marty Small Speaks with The Weather Channel on Atlantic City’s Storm Preparedness

As storm conditions continue to affect the Jersey Shore, Mayor Marty Small Sr. joined The Weather Channel’s Reynolds Wolfe to discuss Atlantic City’s readiness, the challenges of flooding, and the city’s commitment to keeping residents and visitors safe.

A City Prepared for the Storm

Despite the threat of strong winds, high surf, and coastal flooding, Mayor Small opened the interview with confidence: “Despite the storm, it’s a great day here in the City of Atlantic City. My administration is prepared from the beach patrol to emergency management, to police, to fire, to public works. We’ve got a little bit of experience in this.”

The Mayor pointed to several flood-prone neighborhoods of particular concern, including Bungalow Park, Venice Park, Chelsea Heights, and Fairmount Avenue, where moderate flooding was expected around 7:42 PM high tide. While the city projected water levels of 7.6 feet—well below the 10.9 feet recorded during Hurricane Sandy—officials emphasized caution.

A Call for Safety

Mayor Small highlighted both residents and tourists in his message: “This is an international destination, the great city of Atlantic City. And as mayor, I’m responsible for the health, welfare, and safety of the residents and the tourists. It’s heed to our warnings. It is very dangerous.”

With powerful waves attracting onlookers and surfers, city officials urged the public to avoid risky behavior and remain cautious. Sustained winds of 45 mph with gusts up to 55 mph were expected overnight, compounding the risk of coastal flooding and rip currents.

Concerns Over Beaches

One of the Mayor’s biggest concerns was the potential loss of beaches on the north end of Atlantic City, home to major resorts including Hard Rock, Ocean, Resorts, and Showboat. The Army Corps of Engineers had recently completed a replenishment project, but storm erosion threatened to undo much of the progress. “We’re just hoping to salvage some of the beach for the last two weekends of the summer,” the Mayor said, noting that further discussions with federal partners may be needed once the storm passes.

A Long Season Ahead

Asked how the city stays prepared during a long Atlantic hurricane season, Mayor Small compared the challenge to football, proudly invoking his hometown team: “It’s just like my football team, the world champion Philadelphia Eagles, which is going to win it again. We’re prepared here—be it events like this, blizzards, nor’easters, and more. We’ve got the professional team to execute and weather the storm.”

Looking Forward

While conditions were expected to improve with clearer skies over the weekend, rip currents and flooding risks remain top concerns. Mayor Small reassured the public that Atlantic City has the infrastructure, the experience, and the dedication to respond to whatever Mother Nature brings.