Hurricane Epsilon expected to remain offshore but will push waves at Atlantic Canada

HALIFAX — Hurricane Epsilon is expected to stay far offshore as it moves towards the southern Grand Banks today, but the storm will produce large waves along the southern shores of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland later tonight and into Sunday.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre in Halifax says the Category 1 hurricane was producing maximum sustained winds at 140 kilometres per hour as it entered Canadian waters overnight. 

But the storm was about 800 kilometres from Halifax this morning as it turned to the northeast on a path that was expected to stay well south of Newfoundland.

As a result, Epsilon is not expected to have any real impact on land, but the ocean swell along the southern edge of Nova Scotia could see waves reaching three to four metres tonight and into Sunday.

The largest waves reaching the coast are expected along the southern Avalon Peninsula in eastern Newfoundland, where waves of four to seven metres are expected.

Waves are projected to reach three to five metres along Newfoundland’s south coast, between the Burin Peninsula and west to Port aux Basques.

Meanwhile, gale- to storm-force winds are expected over the southern edge of the Grand Banks, where the waves could reach up to 12 metres.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2020.

The Canadian Press