18Z Tropical Update

HURRICANE EARL INTERMEDIATE FORECAST 13A
TROPICAL FORECAST CENTER
2:00 PM EDT WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2010

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.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
FROM CAPE FEAR TO WEST OF BOGUE INLET NORTH CAROLINA.

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. A WARNING IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 36 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE
PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. A WATCH IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 48 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

INTERESTS ELSEWHERE FROM NEW JERSEY TO NEW ENGLAND SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF EARL.

AT 2:00 PM EDT/1800Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR 25.2 N 72.7 W OR 680 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS. EARL IS MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH ON THURSDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...EARL WILL APPROACH THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST ON THURSDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH. EARL IS A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. HURRICANE HUNTERS INVESTIGATING THE STORM NOW SUGGEST THAT EARL MAY BE STRENGTHENING AND COULD BECOME A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE AGAIN LATER TODAY. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED FROM THE HURRICANE HUNTERS IS 941 MB/27.79 IN.

ALSO OF NOTE IN THE TROPICS...TROPICAL STORM FIONA WITH 60 MPH WINDS LOCATED NEAR 19.3 N 62.2 W AND A NEW TROPICAL DEPRESSION. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 9 WAS LOCATED NEAR 12.4 N 35.8 W AND 35 MPH WINDS. BUT THE MAIN FOCUS WILL REMAIN ON EARL UNTIL THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES SUBSIDE.

JACKSON