winter beach

This "winter beach" concept is new to me. I'm a bit of a natural skeptic, so I'm not going to unquestioningly accept the assertion below, but I have seen one piece of supporting evidence so far: When the wife and I took our new truck out to the beach (Access 6 - the northernmost) yesterday, the dirt road leading to the beach was churned up like I had never seen it before. We were in the new four-wheel-drive truck, but I didn't want to push it and get stuck the first time I took it out to the beach. There was a new sign up at the entrance too which said "dangerous conditions - 4-wheel-drive ONLY". Hmm.

SPI currently experiencing a winter beach

South Padre Island, TX, Jan. 30, 2018: South Padre Island's beach and dune undergo a seasonal transformation from a "summer" beach to a "winter" beach. The island is currently in a period known as a "winter" beach. This is the season when beaches are eroded and flatten out often giving the appearance of a lower beach. The sand actually remains in the beach system and is stored within sand bars.

Storms in the winter create waves that are larger and more energetic. South Padre Island's dunes are the first line of defense against storm surges. Dunes are storm buffers, absorbing the wave and wind energy that otherwise would reach beach properties.

"The City works extremely hard to protect and maintain our beach for the enjoyment of residents and visitors," said Brandon Hill, shoreline director. "Also, our dunes provide habitat for local plants and animals."

you can go here to see how the city deals with the coastline.