Emergency preparations along the East Coast from North Carolina to Maine were underway as Category 4 Hurricane Earl closes in. The powerful storm covering an area nearly 400 miles wide continued its northward trek prompting new evacuations and warnings.
The governors of North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland all issued states of emergency declarations in anticipation of the storm. President Barack Obama signed a disaster declaration for North Carolina helping to ensure federal resources are available for the state.
• Complete list of watches and warnings below. View the slideshow below for images of the forecast path, satellite photos and more.
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Hurricane Earl is now 355 miles south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina or 820 miles south-southwest of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm was packing 145 mph winds and moving to the north-northwest at 18 mph.
Forecasters said gradual weakening is expected today but the storm will still be a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) when it passes the Outer Banks. If the storm sticks to its forecast path, it will pass approximately 60 miles to the west of Cape Hatteras tonight and 110 miles from Boston on Saturday.
North Carolina officials increased the evacuation orders on Thursday. An estimated 30,000 tourists and residents were asked to leave Hatteras Island and 5,000 tourists were ordered off of Ocracoke Island. Dare County shuttered government offices and schools for Thursday and Friday.
Tropical storm force winds will begin being felt along the Outer Banks by this afternoon. Those will be followed by hurricane force winds later tonight. Further up the coast, tropical storm force winds will be felt from Virginia to New Jersey.
Areas under the hurricane warning (below) could see 3 to 5 feet of storm surge while those in the tropical storm warning area see 1 to 3 feet. Rainfall amounts up to six inches are forecast.
The high winds coupled with driving rain and storm surge will likely result in widespread power outages and loss of communication. Residents within the hurricane warned area are being urged to move inland, away from the storm’s path.
Tropical Storm Fiona and Tropical Storm Gaston also in the Atlantic
Tropical Storm Fiona was north of Puerto Rico and starting a turn toward the north where she shouldn't pose a threat to land. Newly formed Tropical Storm Gaston however appears to be on a collision course with Puerto Rico sometime next week. View Fiona's and Gaston's forecast path in the slideshow below.
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Current list of watches and warnings - From the National Hurricane Center:
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* BOGUE INLET NORTH CAROLINA NORTHEASTWARD TO THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS.
A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CAPE HENLOPEN DELAWARE.
* WESTPORT TO PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS...INCLUDING MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* CAPE FEAR TO WEST OF BOGUE INLET NORTH CAROLINA.
* NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO SANDY HOOK NEW JERSEY...INCLUDING DELAWARE BAY SOUTH OF SLAUGHTER BEACH AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NEW POINT COMFORT.
* THE COAST OF LONG ISLAND NEW YORK FROM FIRE ISLAND INLET NORTHWARD AND EASTWARD TO PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* SANDY HOOK NEW JERSEY TO WOODS HOLE MASSACHUSETTS...INCLUDING BLOCK ISLAND AND LONG ISLAND SOUND.
* THE COAST OF LONG ISLAND NEW YORK WEST OF FIRE ISLAND INLET AND PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR.
* NORTH OF PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS TO EASTPORT MAINE.
* THE COAST OF NOVA SCOTIA FROM PORT MAITLAND TO MEDWAY HARBOUR.
A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA.
A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.
INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND SOUTHEASTERN CANADA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF EARL.
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