The Official Record Board for Ocean City Storm Tides

It may come as little solace to the many Ocean City residents still dealing with the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, but they experienced history.

A chart of the island's highest storm tides confirms that Sandy was the worst storm in recorded Ocean City history. The city's Engineering Department updated the list that shows water levels almost a foot higher than during the legendary "Storm of '62" and a full two feet higher than the November 2009 nor'easter that flattened dunes at Waverly Beach.

The information is shown in the PDF above, and repeated in the chart below.

Nov. 11-14, 2009 Storm

Matches
Bayside
Center
Gauge 

The readings for Sandy were taken from the new tide gauge recently installed at the Bayside Center on the bay between Fifth and Sixth streets.

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See and bookmark the tide gauge here.
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The tide readings are based on 1988 datum, which is the first column of the above chart. These readings show tide levels above and below an average mid-tide.

The middle column of the above chart is based on 1929 datum and matches the base flood elevation criteria that Ocean City property owners know from flood insurance policies and building guidelines.

The third column in the chart above represents tide levels above an average low tide (mean low water). These are typically the readings people hear when weather forecasters talk about storm surge.