Hurricane Earl continues to gain strength, but fortunately is expected to follow a path clear of populated areas now that it’s left the Leeward Islands.
At 4 p.m. CDT, Earl was 110 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was moving to the west-northwest at 15 mph toward the Turks and Caicos. Those islands were under a tropical storm warning, but forecasters at the National Hurricane Center expect Earl to turn to the northwest Tuesday and pass to their east.
With maximum sustained winds of 135 mph, Earl has reached Category Four status on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The NHC predicted it would grow even stronger “over the next day or so.”
All hurricane watches and warnings have been discontinued, but the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico remained under a tropical storm warning as winds with tropical storm force extended out up to 200 miles from Earl’s center.
Earl was producing heavy rainfall across much of the northern Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico. The NHC said most areas could receive four to eight inches of rain, but some spots could see up to 12 inches of rain.
Related: Hurricane warning issued for US Virgin Islands as Earl continues west
Hurricane Earl reaches Category Two status as it nears Barbuda
Hurricane Earl bears down on Antigua and Barbuda
Hurricane warnings issued for Caribbean as Earl approaches
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