The U.S. East Coast Finally Wakes Up With a Nor'easter

After a summer with almost no tropical swell, the U.S. East Coast has finally come alive. By late September, no hurricane had yet been named, the Atlantic had stayed very quiet, and surfers in Rhode Island said they'd had almost nothing to surf all summer. It's nice to read that patience has finally paid off.

The cause is a nor'easter, a powerful low-pressure system that forms along the North American coast with northeasterly winds. These systems are typical of late autumn and winter, so seeing one of this size as early as September is rare. It brought strong winds, heavy rain, coastal flooding and beach erosion from the Carolinas to New England.

North Carolina surfer Quentin Turko followed the system from New York before heading back down to his usual spots. He describes solid beach breaks, emerald tubes and very thick sections, with some of the biggest and most powerful waves he has seen on the East Coast in ten years.

Conditions were not easy, though. The winds created strong side currents, the sandbars absorbed enormous amounts of energy, and it took effort to stay in position. The windows were short: a few hours could be enough to transform a spot before the wind or the tide closed the door.

Looking ahead, tropical storms, usually a major source of swell on the East Coast, have practically disappeared this year. With autumn, mid-latitude lows and cold fronts can take over, and El Niño might help, without any guarantee.

Source: Surf Session