Bomb Cyclone Hernando Delivers Epic Waves for East Coast Surfers

An historic storm hit the United States East Coast over the past few days. Winter Storm Hernando – a so-called “bomb cyclone” – struck the eastern seaboard, bringing snow, flight cancelations, power outages, and more from New York City to Boston and beyond. While most people hunkered down for the storm, a handful of East Coast surfers braved the conditions to score some incredible waves.

Surfing Amidst the Snowstorm

Surfers like Ben Gravy took advantage of the extreme weather, finding opportunity in the chaos. Gravy surfed at his home break in New Jersey, even with over two feet of snow on the sand at one point. The swell reached 19 feet at 11 seconds, creating what Gravy described as “extreme bomb cyclone conditions.”

“Winter Storm Hernando kind of came out of nowhere,” Gravy wrote on Facebook. “We expected snow & we expected waves, but we had no way of knowing that we were going to wake up to a 19ft @ 11 second buoy reading & these type of extreme bomb cyclone conditions. Happy to make it through this one safe & sound with a few solid waves under our belts as the icing on the, extremely frozen, cake.”

New York Surfers Embrace the Nor’easter

In New York, local news interviewed a surfer who had ventured out into the stormy ocean. The surfer described the waves as three-to-four feet with a favorable offshore wind, creating “elegant cylinders” – barreling waves – typically seen on television.

The reporter, surprised by the surfer’s choice to ride the waves during a nor’easter, asked, “A nor’easter is good for surfing? Who would’ve thought?”

The surfer confirmed that a nor’easter is often a dream scenario for East Coast surfers, with waves potentially reaching six-to-eight feet in the Rockaways, and wrapping around into Coney Island.

Understanding Bomb Cyclones and East Coast Surf

Bomb cyclones are characterized by a rapid drop in atmospheric pressure, leading to intense winds and heavy precipitation. These storms can generate large swells that are highly sought after by surfers. The combination of powerful winds and wave energy creates challenging but rewarding conditions for experienced surfers.

As The Inertia reported, Hernando brought waves alongside its disruptive weather impacts.

Related Coverage

• Surfing in a Snowstorm: Bomb Cyclone Hernando Hits New Jersey – Surfer
• Winter Storm Hernando Maps Tracker – Weather.com