For Florida surfers, Hurricane Erin could be ‘perfect storm' for an epic ride
The large and powerful hurricane is expected to stay hundreds of miles offshore, far enough to not even swipe the Sunshine State with rain bands or high winds, but close enough to send high swells rolling toward the coastline.
Meteorologists warn that the rough waters come with dangerous rip tides for beachgoers and hazardous conditions for boaters. But for many board aficionados, it means one thing: Surf's up.
'It looked like the storm stayed the perfect distance off the coast,' said Jordan Schwartz, owner of the family-owned and operated Ohana Surf Shop on Stuart's Hutchinson Island. 'It's definitely dangerous conditions, but fun for experienced surfers.'
Schwartz said business has been booming at the store ever since Erin was officially named, a welcome reprieve from a 'really flat summer,' and terrible winter and spring for surfing.
'It's the first sign of life wave-wise,' he said. 'In the Treasure Coast we're going to see 8 to 10 foot surf.'
Erin's surf and storm surge could cause erosion along sections of the Florida and East Coast and shapes up as potentially worse for North Carolina's barrier islands, which are under mandatory evacuation orders ahead of the four feet of storm surge and 20-foot offshore waves Erin is expected to bring.
But the large storm also looms as an awesome setup for Florida surfers. The further north up the coast, the more intense the swells will be but even South Florida is expected to catch a piece of the action.
Mike Mann, the owner of Longboard House, a family-owned surf shop in Indialantic near Melbourne Beach, said surfers there are preparing for six to eight-foot swells, a big jump from the one to three-foot waves they normally see in the area.
Mann said the shop has been selling 15 or so surfboards a day to Floridians traveling from 'Tampa, Orlando, Brevard, you name it,' hoping to get what could be the best ride of the year.
'It's one of those perfect storm conditions that only happen once in a great while,' he said. 'It's not going to hit us, which is the best thing. It's awful when you're surfing and you know you've only got six hours before you've got to get out of town.'
Erin is far enough off shore that its waves have a long time to roll in, known as a groundswell instead of a wind swell. These well-spaced waves give surfers a long, smooth ride.
Another bonus, said 82-year-old Mann, is they give older surfers enough time to pop up and ride the wave.
'The old guys can't jump up fast enough anymore but when you have a groundswell, you have time to get up,' he said. 'So the older guys can actually get up.'
Unfortunately, Mann won't be one of them, as he's recovering from back surgery. He's hoping for a repeat of these perfect conditions in the next year.
'I need it to happen again before I get old!' he said, laughing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
a minute ago
- CNBC
Hurricane Erin stirs up strong winds and floods part of a North Carolina highway as it slowly moves out to sea
Hurricane Erin battered North Carolina's Outer Banks with strong winds and waves that flooded part of the main highway and surged under beachfront homes as the monster storm slowly began to move away from the East Coast on Thursday. Forecasters predicted the storm would peak Thursday and said it could regain strength and once again become a major hurricane, Category 3 or greater, but it was not forecast to make landfall along the East Coast before turning farther out to sea. Tropical storm conditions were in effect over parts of the Outer Banks and the coast of Virginia, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. In Bermuda, residents and tourists were told to stay out of the water with rough seas expected through Friday. As Erin's outer bands brushed the Outer Banks, water poured onto the main route connecting the barrier islands and a handful of stilted homes precariously perched above the beach. By Wednesday evening, officials had closed Highway 12 on Hatteras Island as the surge increased and waves rose. The road remained closed Thursday. Ocracoke Island's connection to its ferry terminal was cut off. Authorities predicted that the largest swells during high tide would cut off villages and homes on the Outer Banks and whip up life-threatening rip currents from Florida to New England. Beaches were closed to swimming Wednesday and Thursday in New York City, and some others in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware were temporarily off-limits. Widespread, moderate coastal flooding was forecast for low-lying areas of Long Island and parts of New York City. Off Massachusetts, Nantucket Island could see waves of more than 10 feet (3 meters) this week. But the biggest threat remained along the Outer Banks where longtime residents didn't seem too concerned. "I remember taking canoes out of my front yard to get to school, so I don't think it's gonna be that bad," said Jacob Throne, who lives on Hatteras Island and works for surf shops. Despite beach closures elsewhere, some swimmers continued to ignore the warnings. Rescuers saved more than a dozen people caught in rip currents Tuesday at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina, a day after more than 80 people were rescued. Bob Oravec, a National Weather Service forecaster, said that even if someone thinks they know how to handle a rip current, it's not safe. "You can be aware all you want," he said. "It can still be dangerous." A combination of fierce winds and huge waves estimated at about 20 feet (6.1 meters) could cause coastal flooding in many beachfront communities, North Carolina officials warned. "Dangerous conditions can be felt far from the eye, especially with a system as large as Erin," said Will Ray, the state's emergency management director. Dozens of beach homes already worn down from chronic erosion and protective dunes could be at risk, said David Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Most residents decided to stay despite evacuations ordered on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. "We probably wouldn't stay if it was coming directly at us," said Rob Temple, who operates sailboat cruises on Ocracoke. His biggest concern was whether the main route would wash out and if tourists and delivery trucks may be cut off from the thin stretch of low-lying islands, which are increasingly vulnerable to storm surges. Erin has become an unusually large and deceptively worrisome system, with tropical storm-force winds spreading across 500 miles (800 kilometers) — roughly the distances from New York City to Pittsburgh. It remained a Category 2 hurricane early Thursday with maximum sustained winds around 105 mph (165 kph), the hurricane center said. Erin was about 205 miles (330 kilometers) east-southeast of Cape Hatteras and moving north-northeast at 17 mph (28 kph). The hurricane center was also watching two tropical disturbances far out in the Atlantic that could develop into named storms in the coming days. With thousands of miles of warm ocean water, hurricanes known as Cape Verde storms are some of the most dangerous that threaten North America. Climate scientists say Atlantic hurricanes are now much more likely to rapidly intensify into powerful and catastrophic storms, fueled by warmer oceans.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
CWG Live updates: Clouds and a gusty breeze are all Hurricane Erin brings
Welcome to updated around-the-clock by Capital Weather Gang meteorologists. Happening now: Winds from the northeast gust to 15 to 25 mph much of the day as clouds fly by. Only isolated afternoon showers with temperatures in the 70s. What's next? Skies are clear and dry air dominates Friday and Saturday with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s. A cold front sets off showers on Sunday followed by a week of dry, mild weather. Today's daily digit — 7/10: Thanks, Erin! Clouds keep it mild, and the winds and humidity are only moderate. | 🤚 Your call? The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a 0-to-10 scale. Forecast in detail Today (Thursday): Winds from the northeast are a fairly steady 10 to 15 mph but gust to 25 mph (stronger near the Chesapeake Bay). Clouds hold highs in the 70s with just moderate humidity. A few sprinkles or spotty showers may zip by in the afternoon. Confidence: Medium-High Tonight: Clouds slowly decrease overnight, while winds quickly diminish. Lows are mainly in the low to mid-60s. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow (Friday): The sun is back in full force, but temperatures only peak in the upper 70s to lower 80s. What is even more noteworthy is the much drier air while breezes are minimal. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow night: Temperatures drop through the 70s for a pleasant evening. Clear skies and minimal wind result in lows in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Confidence: Medium-High A look ahead Saturday is a little warmer (highs in the low to mid-80s) under blue skies. Sunday is just as warm, but a cold front approaches, leading to an increase in clouds with showers likely in the afternoon/evening. Lows both nights are in the 60s. Confidence: Medium Next week is mainly sunny and pleasantly dry. Highs are still upper 70s to lower 80s Monday, but Tuesday through Thursday only see highs in the 70s, for a late-summer bonus. Confidence: Medium Today's daily digit — 7/10: Thanks, Erin! Clouds keep it mild, and the winds and humidity are only moderate. | 🤚 Your call? The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a 0-to-10 scale. Forecast in detail Today (Thursday): Winds from the northeast are a fairly steady 10 to 15 mph but gust to 25 mph (stronger near the Chesapeake Bay). Clouds hold highs in the 70s with just moderate humidity. A few sprinkles or spotty showers may zip by in the afternoon. Confidence: Medium-High Tonight: Clouds slowly decrease overnight, while winds quickly diminish. Lows are mainly in the low to mid-60s. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow (Friday): The sun is back in full force, but temperatures only peak in the upper 70s to lower 80s. What is even more noteworthy is the much drier air while breezes are minimal. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow night: Temperatures drop through the 70s for a pleasant evening. Clear skies and minimal wind result in lows in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Confidence: Medium-High A look ahead Saturday is a little warmer (highs in the low to mid-80s) under blue skies. Sunday is just as warm, but a cold front approaches, leading to an increase in clouds with showers likely in the afternoon/evening. Lows both nights are in the 60s. Confidence: Medium Next week is mainly sunny and pleasantly dry. Highs are still upper 70s to lower 80s Monday, but Tuesday through Thursday only see highs in the 70s, for a late-summer bonus. Confidence: Medium
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Will Hurricane Erin end UK's dry spell? Met Office issues new rain forecast
Nationwide rain could bring an end to the UK's ongoing dry spell in just a few days as Hurricane Erin continues to advance over the Atlantic Ocean. Currently at category two, the hurricane has maximum sustained winds of 105mph as it heads northwards along the United States' east coast. This atmospheric activity could bring an 'unsettled' period of weather to the UK in the coming days, the Met Office has said, especially in the North and West. Independent forecasters predicted that countrywide rain could begin to hit the country from next Wednesday, with storms stretching as far as 600 miles as most of the nation is hit. At its heaviest, this rain could reach around 5mm an hour, but most regions will see between 0.2 and 3mm. The Met Office's deputy chief meteorologist, Stephen Kocher, said: 'A key feature to watch in the coming days is Hurricane Erin. 'We are closely watching Erin's track, with the possibility of the UK feeling the effects of what would then be ex-hurricane Erin at some point next week, bringing an area of low pressure to the UK and more unsettled conditions.' The expert says that there is 'a lot of uncertainty at this stage', adding: 'It is possible we could see some wet and windy weather for the last week of August. 'We'll be keeping a close eye on the movements of Hurricane Erin over the coming days and updating our forecasts accordingly.' The cause of the uncertainty is the area of low pressure that Hurricane Erin will send towards the UK from across the Atlantic. This leads to unsettled weather conditions, while high pressure causes settled and fine weather conditions. Brits will likely enjoy fine and dry weather owing to high pressure over the bank holiday, which will be 'increasingly eroded' by the low pressure from the West in the following days, the Met Office said. The UK has seen back-to-back heatwaves this summer, as European nations across the continent also grapple with high heat. The Met Office has said that summer 2025 is shaping up to be the UK's hottest on record, according to provisional statistics. Met Office scientist, Emily Carlisle, said: 'It's looking like this summer is on track to be one of the warmest, if not 'the' warmest, since the series began in 1884. What's striking is the consistency of the warmth. June and July were both well above average and even outside of heatwaves, temperatures have remained on the warmer side.' In the coming week, dry weather is set to continue for most of the UK following last week's high heats. Parts of the country could see temperatures reach 27C on Monday and Tuesday. A northeasterly breeze means northern and eastern parts of the UK will be cooler on these days, reaching the low 20s. The continued dry spell comes after officials warned England was suffering from 'nationally significant' water shortfalls, despite rain in July. Sunday's highest temperature was 27.7C in Somerset, while West Sussex and Inverness in Scotland also reached 27C.
