The projected path of Hurricane Gert at 11 p.m. August 14.Generally speaking we're not very big fans of tropical systems and hurricanes here on the Outer Banks. But then along comes a system like Hurricane Gert that is taking the perfect offshore track.
Offshore Hurricane Track for Great Surf Conditions
That perfect track is well off shore, between the Outer Banks and Bermuda.
And the reason it's a perfect track is the surf. And tomorrow—Tuesday—local surfers will be out in force.
Tropical systems, when they take the track Hurricane Gert is taking create a close to perfect conditions as there can be. Long straight swells with a reasonable time between waves.
The biggest surf is forecast for Buxton and south where the south facing beach should be getting 6-9' seas. That's definitely a day for more experiences surfers.
A little more tame, but still excellent, the surf forecast for the northern beaches is calling for 5-6' seas.
This is a little bit weather dependent. If the winds are fairly strong and shift to the east, the break won't be nearly as good, but the last forecast calls for very light ESE winds, which should have very little impact on the waves.
As the storm tracks to the northeast, the best waves will move up the coast. Late night as we write this, Hatteras already has 5' seas and with the best conditions between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Farther north, look for the best conditions by noon, and the break should be good until sunset.
Gert is behaving pretty much the way hurricanes tend to act as they pass offshore. She's taking her good old time right now, but beginning tomorrow morning she'll start to pick up speed as the storm gets caught in the frontal boundary that is keeping her away from the coast.
Because of that, the ideal surf conditions will be a one day event...but that one day looks to be pretty spectacular.
