Surfers await Hurricane Erin’s potentially dangerous waves in Nova Scotia
As Hurricane Erin churns ominously in the Atlantic, surfers in Nova Scotia are gearing up to ride the powerful, storm-fed waves.
Experienced surfers in Lawrencetown, N.S., are gearing up to ride the waves produced by Hurricane Erin.
The summer swell here is generally from the waist and below, so beginner friendly, but when there’s a hurricane offshore, that could change.
Surfers from the Eastern Seaboard, stretching from the southern U.S. to Quebec, have been monitoring Erin closely and some are en route to surf the waves.
“We’re getting people from all over coming, [from the] West, as well. Everyone comes in, especially when we’ve been tracking it,” said Hannah Lewis, surf expert.
The Lifesaving Society of Nova Scotia is urging caution, and says swimmers and even the average surfer should probably not go in the water.
Surfers on Lawrencetown Beach in Lawrencetown, N.S., on Aug. 19, 2025. (Nathan Coleman/The Weather Network)
“We’ve seen as low as eight feet, and up to 15 feet, of storm waves creates rip currents. Even the power of those waves knocking people down and sucking them out to sea is going to be quite dangerous," said Paul D’Eon, Lifesaving Society of Nova Scotia director.
With the potential of such large waves coming, it can be easy for swimmers of any level to get caught in the rip current.
“The conditions can be somewhat unpredictable, and a lot of the time when we do get this larger hurricane swell, it’s unsafe for beginners and unsafe for surfers who aren’t super-experienced,” said Lewis.
You do not want to get caught in a rip current. We will continue to keep you updated on Hurricane Erin's progress at The Weather Network.