Tropical storm Earl

[draggar]

Time for the east coast USA to start watching him. He's a tropical storm now but every track puts him a little further west and more intense.

Current models put him passing close to the Carolinas as a category 3 hurricane next Friday / Saturday and possibly heading up into the northeast.

Hopefully he doesn't slow the turn - sadly the northeast is overdue for a major hit.

[Gerry]

My name is Earl

[Acro]

Useful site - http://www.weather.gov/

[draggar]

8PM update - further west now.

Possibly very close to the North Carolina coast on Friday.

Acro, the Weather Underground (wunderground.com) has great maps.

[Tia Wood]

Live: http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Conus/full_loop.php

[draggar]

Earl is a hurricane now and the track puts him even closer to the Carolina coast and possibly a direct hit in the northeast as a major hurricane next weekend.

[Tia Wood]

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/grap...daynl#contents

[Gerry]

Projections do take it towards the Outer Banks.

The worst one to hit here (this far inland) was Hugo.

Charlotte NC got wind speeds of 110+ and here in the foothills we saw 90+ winds sustained.

[Gerry]

Now a cat 4 and most projections take it to the outer banks.

Saw loCal news related cancellations are up on the coast already.

Keeping a real close eye on this.

[Acro]

I hope it moves more east and into the Atlantic.