Earl spares S.C., but moves towarrds Maine, Maritimes

Hurricane Earl didn't do as much damage as could have been, but it's not over yet. The storm is expected to continue to spin northward, bringing wind and rain to the northeast, where hurricane and tropical storm watches were in effect from the North Carolina/Virginia border to Maine. After that, the Maritime Provinces are the next to hunker down.

    . . . June

---------------------------------

Earl scoots to the north, spares S.C

Breaking News - TheState.com: "Sept. 03—The worst of Hurricane Earl was still hours away when water and sand began washing over N.C. 12 on Hatteras Island late Thursday afternoon.

It was a foreboding sign as nearly a full night of foul weather approached. Most tourists and many residents of North Carolina's central and northern barrier islands had already fled inland. With the storm's precise path still unclear, those who remained braced for hours of heavy wind, big waves and flooding.

The worst of the storm was expected to be over by about 3 a.m., said Gail Hartfield of the National Weather Service's Raleigh office.

The storm weakened some as it approached North Carolina, but still packed a Category 2 wallop and was expected to hit hardest as it passed off Cape Hatteras with winds of 100 mph or more.

President Obama declared an emergency in North Carolina, which allowed the state to gain federal support for emergency protective measures such as opening shelters, providing aid and the use of the N.C. National Guard, state Highway Patrol and state Department of Transportation resources.

The storm was a Category 3 and about 230 miles offshore when it passed by Horry County between 3 and 5 p.m. Thursday, said Rachel Zouzias, a meteorologist with the weather service.

It brought little rain, no storm surge and minor winds as it passed the area, but weather forecasters did warn that strong surf and an increased risk for rip currents remain today.
In Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., there was low tide at the same time the seas peaked, which should help create less of an impact, Zouzias said. She said there may be minor beach erosion, but she had received no reports by 9:50 p.m. Forecasters weren't expecting many problems in the area.

“No concern for rivers, no concern for rains, minimal impact as far as winds,” said Mike Caropolo, the meteorologist-in-charge with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, N.C. “Large breakers in the surf are likely. Breakers will be 8 to 12 feet south to the Santee River.”

National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read said the storm had turned to the north and its speed had not changed from previous forecasts.

“We're pretty much right down the track we've been anticipating for the last two days,” Read said.

Read more: 

Category 4 Hurricane Earl may rake U.S. east coast

The hurricane season in here and this latest storm named Earl was expected to veer off and just swipe the coast. However, it has strengthened to a Category 4 and  its path is less certain, according to the article below. It could do some major damage anywhere along the coast. We'll just have to stay tuned . .
   . . June


----------------------------

Strengthening Hurricane Earl may rake U.S. east coast

Tuesday August 31, 2010

"MIAMI (Reuters) - Hurricane Earl strengthened into a powerful Category 4 storm on Monday after lashing the northeast Caribbean islands, and was expected to swipe the U.S. East Coast in the next few days, the U.S. National Hurricane Centre said.
Hurricane Danielle is (L) is seen southeast of Bermuda and Tropical Storm Earl (C) is pictured west of the Cape Verde Islands, in this National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite image taken August 26, 2010 and released August 28. (REUTERS/NOAA/Handout)

But the Miami-based forecasters said it was too early to say which part of the U.S. eastern seaboard might be impacted by Earl, the second major hurricane of the 2010 Atlantic season."

Earl had sustained winds of 135 mph (215 kph) and could strengthen in the next two days, the forecasters said.

The hurricane was moving west-northwest on a curving track that the National Hurricane Centre said would take it near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on Thursday and Friday.
A direct hit could not be ruled out, and Earl was expected to bring drenching rain, dangerous seas and surf and gusting wind to the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to New England and Canada, said Alex Sosnowski, a senior meteorologist for private forecaster AccuWeather.

"How nasty the weather gets in this region will depend on the exact track of Earl and its proximity to the coast," Sosnowski said in a posting on the AccuWeather website.
If Earl swings farther west than expected, heavy rain could sweep the Interstate 95 corridor from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City, he said.

Read More