In Asbury Park, cold temperatures and heavy winds on Friday have left the beach noticeably emptier than usual, while businesses across the Jersey Shore prepare for a Memorial Day weekend that could bring smaller crowds than earlier in the week.
On the Asbury Park boardwalk, the usual holiday noise was muted—bundled-up visitors moving past shuttered-looking beach towels and drawn hood strings where people usually settle in for sun and heat.
Friday’s kickoff to Memorial Day weekend didn’t deliver the warm “beach summer” feeling. In Asbury Park, the temperature hovered around 60 degrees, with 15 to 25 mph winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean. North Plainfield resident Briana Louise stood near the shoreline and sounded almost surprised by how hard the weather was hitting. “It’s really cold out here. The wind. The wind is insane,” she said.
Louise and a group of friends weren’t there for a quick stop—they had plans built around a celebration. “We’re here to celebrate Sarah’s birthday,” Louise said. “We came to see the sunrise, and this is not. It’s not giving, beach summer.” She said the group brought blankets expecting to relax on the sand. “The group of college students should be lying out on the sand and in the sun on their blankets. not using them to keep warm. ” she said. “We brought these to sit on the sand. Relax, chill. But it’s not happening.”.
The difference from earlier in the week is hard to ignore. The crowd had surged before, when the beach was packed during a pre-summer heat spike. Now, the beach is empty and the boardwalk is peppered with people all bundled up.
Even visitors who came prepared for “cloudy” conditions looked caught off guard by the combination of wind and cold. One beachgoer said. “It did say cloudy. so we weren’t expecting the sunrise to be nice. but it also said 60. so we thought it was just going to be calm. but it’s very windy and very cold.”.
For tourists, the mismatch between expectations and reality lands fast. Soraya Perez, visiting from Florida, said she left home hoping for the full Jersey Shore experience. “I left Florida for the Jersey Shore, and I was really expecting the full experience. You know, the beach, the vibes,” Perez said. “And it’s not giving that. but hopefully at least one of these days while I’m here. we can really like tap into.”.
Across the coast, the story looked different by neighborhood. In Coney Island, the boardwalk was packed on Friday night. The rides were roaring, and while it was cold for the ocean, it wasn’t described as too harsh for a sandy walk on the beach. The shops, restaurants, and bars were lively too.
For business owners, the forecast isn’t just a matter of comfort—it’s tied directly to revenue. Memorial Day is described as a vital kick-off weekend for businesses, and the math can’t be waved away. Matthew Sarrel of Ruby’s Bar and Grill said he has a 13-week window to make money. and weather-driven losses during weekends and holidays matter because days can’t be replaced. “It hurts you. There’s no question about it. When you’re a small business, you know every day matters. Not having great weather, especially on a holiday weekend, hurts you. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You do what you can, you hope for the best, you know you can’t control the weather,” Sarrel said.
Friday’s conditions in Asbury Park—60 degrees, strong Atlantic winds, and a beach that felt emptier than it usually does at the start of the holiday—make one thing clear: when the forecast turns, the Jersey Shore’s impact hits first at the shoreline and then at the register.
Jersey Shore Memorial Day weekend Asbury Park Coney Island rain forecast beach weather small business Matthew Sarrel Ruby's Bar and Grill Briana Louise Soraya Perez