JACKSONVILLE, FL – Hurricane Ernesto, while posing no direct threat to the Eastern United States, is forecasted to pass 940 miles east of Jacksonville on Friday night as a Category 3 hurricane.
The storm’s path raises concerns for Bermuda, which could face significant impacts as the hurricane passes directly over the island on Saturday.
While Hurricane Ernesto won’t be making landfall in the continental United States, its presence creates challenging conditions for swimmers and potential danger for Bermuda.
Despite the hurricane’s distance, its effects will be greatest felt along the Florida coast on Friday.
The building surf Thursday is not related to the hurricane, but rather a NE breeze from a backdoor cold front that dries us out Friday and into the weekend.
Seas will build to 4′ in a choppy 6-second NE swell. The waist-high choppy surf builds to chest-high by the evening.
Friday morning swells from the SE at 14-15 seconds hit the beaches with building surf to head high.
The quality won’t be perfect with onshore winds and wonky swell lines due to the combo swell direction. But it will also provide some fun peaks and wedges in the thick ground swell power.
Winds back off from the east to 10-12 mph. Seas are forecast to peak Friday around 6 feet nearshore.
Saturday the seas drop to 3-4 feet but winds go calm in the morning with cleaner chest-high sets. The ESE swell angle Friday turns more east Saturday with speeds up to 10 by 1 p.m.
Swimmers participating in Saturday morning’s Hammerhead Ocean Marathon will face 3-4 foot swells breaking on the sandbars. Additionally, an unusual southward current may challenge competitors who are accustomed to swimming northward with the current towards the pier in traditional years.
The swell continues into Sunday in the 2-3′ range with a lingering 13-second period from the ENE. The afternoon sea breeze picks up by 2 p.m. over 12 kts.
Rip currents should only be tackled by surfers or powerful swimmers capable of finishing the Hammerhead Ocean Marathon otherwise swim close to lifeguards.