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Hurricane Earl Lashes Caribbean, Prepares to Pummel East Coast

Locations in this article:  Miami, FL
Hurricane Earl Lashes Caribbean, Prepares to Pummel East Coast
Hurricane Earl Threatens Caribbean, East Coast & CanadaHurricane Earl has continued to grow after pummeling the northeastern Caribbean on Monday and is threatening to hit the eastern United States later this week. 

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami has warned that states from North Carolina to Maine could be affected by the system in the coming days.

By then, meteorologists are warning that Earl could become a Category 4 hurricane, with winds of at least 130 mph.

Hurricane Earl formed on Sunday and quickly grew in force, fueled by warm ocean temperatures.

As of Monday morning, the hurricane was declared a Category 3 storm by U.S. National Hurricane Center. Earl’s maximum sustained winds were reported at 120 mph.
According to the hurricane center, Earl is forecast to continue running north of the Caribbean and then turn northwest on Tuesday, putting the storm roughly parallel to the U.S. East Coast.

The storm is expected to be felt in states along the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region toward the end of the week. North Carolina, the state in the most direct path of the storm, is forecast to be struck by the storm on Thursday or Friday.

Hurricane Earl's projected path from Nat'l Hurricane Center/NOAAScientists at the U.S. National Hurricane Center (part of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA) say that it’s too early to predict the impact the storm will have on the United States or Canada. The hurricane center is warning affected states to monitor the storm closely.

Islands along the Caribbean have already felt the force of Earl’s winds early this morning. Gusty winds knocked out electricity on much of the island of St. Maarten. Meanwhile on Antigua, wind and rain forced 350 people into shelters and destroyed at least one home.

Currently the storm is heading toward the Virgin Islands and will hit the island this afternoon or evening. Earl will also be felt in San Juan, Puerto Rico, though the U.S. territory is not in the direct path of the storm.

As of Monday, hurricane warnings are in place for the islands of Anguilla, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Puerto Rican islands of Culebra and Vieques.

As a customary precaution during hurricane season, many cruise lines have diverted their ships to other ports in the Caribbean and Mexico. One airport, Antigua’s V.C. Bird International Airport, has closed, and two regional airlines, LIAT and Winair, have suspended their flights.

By Adriana Padilla at PeterGreenberg.com.

Related Links: CNN, Associated Press, CTV, National Hurricane Center

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