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Smooth Dogfish Shark Swims Through Flooded New Jersey Streets During Nor'easter

other · 2026-09-30

On September 26, a smooth dogfish shark was spotted swimming through the inundated streets of Surf City, New Jersey, amid a nor'easter. Drew Procaccino, a local resident, recorded the shark, which marine biologist Greg Skomal confirmed as a small, harmless species typical of the area. The nor'easter brought intense rainfall, strong winds, and coastal flooding, resulting in significant travel interruptions and power outages. Tragically, a 56-year-old man named Leighton Brown lost his life after being hit by a falling tree in Brooklyn. In New York City, nearly 1,000 trees were downed. Firefighters in Middletown Township rescued a doe caught in a fence, while a dog named Daisy gained fame for kayaking through flooded Ocean City, New Jersey.

Key facts

  • A smooth dogfish shark was spotted swimming in flooded streets of Surf City, New Jersey, on September 26 during a nor'easter.
  • Resident Drew Procaccino filmed the shark around noon as it swam up his driveway toward Barnegat Bay.
  • Marine biologist Greg Skomal identified the shark as a smooth dogfish, a small, harmless species common in those waters.
  • The nor'easter caused heavy rain, high winds, and coastal flooding, resulting in at least one death and nearly 1,000 fallen trees in New York City.
  • The storm may have uncovered a 19th-century shipwreck on Nantucket.
  • In Middletown Township, New Jersey, firefighters rescued a doe stuck in a metal fence.
  • A dog named Daisy went viral after riding a kayak through flooded streets in Ocean City, New Jersey.
  • Nor'easters are most common between September and April and typically form between Georgia and New Jersey.

Entities

Artists

  • Drew Procaccino
  • Greg Skomal
  • Leighton Brown
  • Matthew Belk
  • Rob Allen
  • Robin Shaffer
  • Sarah Kuta

Institutions

  • Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
  • Massachusetts Shark Research Program
  • ABC News
  • National Weather Service
  • Associated Press
  • Washington Post
  • WHYY
  • Middletown Township Fire Department
  • ABC7NY
  • Smithsonian Magazine

Locations

  • Surf City
  • New Jersey
  • United States
  • Long Beach Island
  • Barnegat Bay
  • Massachusetts
  • Canada
  • Argentina
  • Brooklyn
  • New York City
  • Georgia
  • Norton
  • Middletown Township
  • Nantucket
  • Ocean City
  • Longmont
  • Colorado

Sources