Portland, Maine – Waves topping 10 feet will pound Maine’s shoreline through Saturday as Hurricane Erin passes well southeast of the Gulf of Maine, creating dangerous rip currents and a risk of coastal flooding.
According to the National Weather Service in Caribou, long-period swells will begin late Wednesday night and peak Friday into Friday night, with the most hazardous surf expected during high tides around 10:50 a.m. and 11:04 p.m. Friday. While no rain or wind from the hurricane is expected, forecasters warn that the wave action alone will pose a significant threat to anyone near the coast.
Officials urge beachgoers to stay well back from rocks and jetties where sneaker waves could unexpectedly wash overlookers into the ocean. The NWS emphasized that many fatalities in Maine have occurred when people underestimated waves during high surf events.
Rip currents will be especially strong, and swimmers are advised not to fight the current but instead float, remain calm, and swim parallel to the shore until free of the pull. Emergency managers recommend avoiding non-essential trips near exposed shorelines and monitoring local alerts through the weekend.
The threat of strong surf and erosion will persist until Saturday night, with marine advisories likely to continue until seas calm.
