106,700 kJ of Wave Energy Produced by Hurricane Erin
So far, some beaches along the eastern seaboard are seeing signs of Erin's power, with reports of over 60 ocean rescues from lifeguards due to rip currents in North Carolina. However, the majority of the swell is expected to show up in the next few days.
And the folks over at Surfline, who are experts at monitoring these types of swell events, have released a new forecast from Erin – it's generating a whopping 106,700 kilojoules of wave energy as it hangs off the coast of the southeast. But…what does that mean?
According to Surfline:
'Six digit kilojoules, you don't see that too often.'This is a Wave Energy chart on our app. It shows a function of swell height and period to help better understand how the deep water energy offshore is going to feel when it arrives at your beach.'To put 106,700 Kilojoules in perspective, a fun 2-3' Fair day of short period wind swell has a Wave Energy of 22 kJ.'Sounds massive. Almost absurdly so, sort of like what a previous meteorologist had said with the potential '100-foot' waves headed for the East Coast as a result of Erin. What will actually pan out? We'll have to wait and see.
And what about kilojoules? What is it, exactly? For more on the obscure metric, and how to assess it, here's Surfline again: 'It helps you see how swell size, period and direction come together to create the waves you'll surf. Comparing the Wave Energy on multiple days with the same surf height (e.g. 3-4ft) can highlight the effects of different underlying swells. Comparing different surf heights, you'll notice that doubling the surf height will increase energy exponentially, which is a reminder of the power of large surf.'
Whatever the case, something big is brewing. And NOAA, in their latest update, is warning as such:
'Erin is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the east coast of the U.S., Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days. Beachgoers in those areas should follow advice from lifeguards, local authorities, and beach warning flags.'
Stay tuned.106,700 kJ of Wave Energy Produced by Hurricane Erin first appeared on Surfer on Aug 19, 2025
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