Friday, September 3, 2010

**Update 8 am Friday** Hurricane Earl

Well, luckily the hurricane dropped its intensity very quickly and has been downgraded to a Cat 2, which is much better for everyone.  That isn't to say that a Cat 2 storm is mild, not by any means is that the case, but the fact remains that it is far, far better than a Cat 4, or even a 3.


As it stands now, Earl is moving up the coastline at a speed of aprox. 18 mph, which is relatively quick.

HURRICANE EARL CONTINUES TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST...WEATHER
CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE IN THE OUTER BANKS LATER THIS MORNING...

















LOCATION...36.2N 73.6W
ABOUT 130 MI...205 KM ENE OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
ABOUT 395 MI...640 KM SSW OF NANTUCKET MASSACHUSETTS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...105 MPH...165 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 20 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...955 MB...28.20 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY...

NONE.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* CAPE LOOKOUT NORTH CAROLINA NORTHEASTWARD TO THE NORTH
CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND THE EASTERN
ALBEMARLE SOUNDS
* WESTPORT MASSACHUSETTS EASTWARD AROUND CAPE COD TO HULL
MASSACHUSETTS INCLUDING MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET ISLAND

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NOVA SCOTIA FROM MEDWAY HARBOUR TO DIGBY

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* 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 EASTWARD
ON THE SOUTH SHORE AND PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR EASTWARD ON THE NORTH
SHORE
* NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT TO WEST OF WESTPORT MASSACHUSETTS...
INCLUDING BLOCK ISLAND
* NORTH OF HULL MASSACHUSETTS TO THE MERRIMACK RIVER
* STONINGTON MAINE EASTWARD TO EASTPORT MAINE
* THE COAST OF NOVA SCOTIA FROM LISMORE SOUTHWARD AND EASTWARD TO
ECUM SECUM
* PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF THE MERRIMACK RIVER TO WEST OF STONINGTON MAINE
* THE COAST OF LONG ISLAND WEST OF FIRE ISLAND INLET ON THE SOUTH
SHORE AND WEST OF PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR ON THE NORTH SHORE
* NEW BRUNSWICK FROM THE U.S./CANADA BORDER EASTWARD TO FORT
LAWRENCE AND FROM TIDNISH WESTWARD TO SHEDIAC
* NOVA SCOTIA FROM ECUM SECUM NORTHEASTWARD TO POINT TUPPER...AND
EAST OF LISMORE TO POINT TUPPER
* CAPE BRETON ISLAND AND THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS

This next photo is the wind advisory for the current track:

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Hurricane Earl Updated Warning & Watches

Hurricane Earl is really getting much worse. Everyone along the eastern seaboard north of N.Carolina needs to be ready for this storm.

LOCATION...29.3N 74.7W
ABOUT 410 MI...660 KM S OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
ABOUT 870 MI...1400 KM SSW OF NANTUCKET MASSACHUSETTS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...145 MPH...230 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNW OR 330 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...928 MB...27.40 INCHES


A HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED NORTH OF SAGAMORE BEACH
MASSACHUSETTS TO PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS...AND WEST OF WOODS HOLE
MASSACHUSETTS TO WESTPORT MASSACHUSETTS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COAST OF LONG
ISLAND NEW YORK FROM FIRE ISLAND INLET NORTHWARD AND EASTWARD TO
PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED NORTH OF PLYMOUTH
MASSACHUSETTS TO EASTPORT MAINE.

ENVIRONMENT CANADA HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE COAST
OF NOVA SCOTIA FROM PORT MAITLAND TO MEDWAY HARBOUR.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

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.

_________________________________________________________________


This is a map of the anticipated wind speed mapping for the eastern seaboard:

Earl is still a large storm. Hurricane force winds extend 90 miles from the storm center and tropical storm force winds can be found 230 miles away.  The wind chart will change based on your location as Earl moves northward.

Based on what Dr. Rob Carver from the Weather Underground Website is saying:
When the trough in the jet stream comes out on Thursday, Earl will accelerate quickly to the northeast. The timing of the trough's arrival will determine Earl's impact on the East Coast. If the trough comes out quickly, Earl will stay at sea. If the trough is late in arriving, it could move Earl across the East Coast.

I will update this information as it become available.

















This is the latest updated tracking chart for Hurricane Earl:




















Most important things for you to have is a working flashlight, AM/FM radio, and extra batteries for both. A little battery-operated camp lantern (and extra batteries) is great to have too. Nothing sucks more than sitting in the dark, not knowing what's going on as the storm tears up stuff around you. Do NOT use real candles as they can start a fire. Those little battery-operated candles are nice though....they add a bit of light and make the darkness less lonely. Believe me, you'll want some kind of continuous light on all night long (and camp lanterns tend to go through a batch of batteries in 3-4 hours or so).


Remember that you're also going into a long holiday weekend, so plan accordingly. Be sure to gas up your car and have some cash money on hand. You also need to decide if you'll really need to have extra bottled water and food on hand. A lot depends on how badly the storm will screw up electrical power in your area and remember that affects things like gas stations and stores as well as restaurants being open and whether they can take credit/debit cards.




The food in your fridge should be okay for 24-48 hours if you don't keep opening up the fridge doors. You can freeze bottled water (in plastic containers) and leave it in the freezer/lower fridge compartments (instead of using messy bags of melting ice). Just be sure to open each bottle/jug first and empty out a few tablespoons of water so that the freezing ice won't crack the plastic. Then you can drink the cool water as the ice melts.


Be sure to have your cell phone charged and use sparingly. If the power goes out, then you can't charge your cell phone. If you have a landline phone, note that many of the newer telephones will not work without electricity -- test your landline phone to make sure.