Surfers enjoy the waves generated by Hurricane Bill at Cow Bay, N.S., on Saturday. (Tim Krochak/Canadian Press)

Hurricane Bill churned toward Nova Scotia and was expected to hit with full force around noon local time Sunday, but residents were already feeling the effects of the Category 1 storm Sunday morning.

High winds, heavy rain and dangerous surf along the east coast were intensifying by the hour.

By early Sunday, it was about 445 kilometres south-southwest of Halifax and about 300 kilometres east of Nantucket, Mass. A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Massachusetts' coastline and a storm warning covered Nova Scotia's Atlantic coast.

U.S. President Barack Obama took no chances and planned a later arrival for his family vacation at Martha's Vineyard, which remained under a tropical storm warning early Sunday.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre was expected to provide a briefing on the storm's progress at 9 a.m. ET.

Even as it weakened to a Category 1 hurricane Saturday, the tempest churned up rough seas and dangerous rip tides.

Dozens of arrival and departure flights at the Halifax airport were cancelled Sunday, and a ferry service between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland was suspended for the day.

Provincial parks in Nova Scotia were shut down and people were advised to stay clear of beaches.

"The waves, they're very pretty to look at but very dangerous," said Barry Manuel of the Halifax Emergency Management Office.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre said southwestern Nova Scotia could get whipped by 88 km/h winds Sunday, while eastern regions of the province and Cape Breton Island could see gusts of about 95 km/h.

On Monday, the storm is expected to make landfall in Newfoundland, where tropical storm watches are in effect for the entire province, with the exception of the Northern Peninsula.

Hurricane Bill moved past Bermuda on Saturday, leaving behind sunny skies, debris and flooding, but no casualties. The storm cut power to about 3,700 customers and flooded some roads. All ferry service was cancelled until Sunday.

Meanwhile, forecasters said Sunday that Tropical Storm Hilda had strengthened slightly far out in the Pacific but was not threatening land.

With files from The Associated Press