Earl weakens slightly

9:45 Update: A Hurricane Watch has been issued for the Nova Scotia coast from Medway Harbour to Digby.

I have been looking at observations from the Carolina coast and just offshore. Winds have been increasing into the 35mph range with one exception. Diamond Shoals buoy southeast of Cape Hatteras had a wind gust over 50 mph and 21 foot seas in the last hour.

The good news at 8pm is that Earl is now a category 2 storm with 110mph winds. The even better news is that the storm is now turning towards the north and looks like it is going to remain offshore enough to keep the strongest winds over the Atlantic. Strong winds are still expected in the 40-60mph range and perhaps gusting to hurricane force on Hatteras Island. The big concern will be the heavy surf and pounding waves that are producing ocean over wash on the fragile banks, threatening NC 12 as well as some oceanfront homes. High tide will occur around 2am. A quick scan of area observations shows winds gusting in the 20 to 30mph range. Hurricane Warnings remain in effect for the Outer Banks as well as Cape Cod and the islands tonight.

I hope our latest vacation home on Flambeau Road in Hatteras Village is doing ok tonight along with the rest of the residents of the Outer Banks. I can only imagine the view of the storm that the house is offering. A coastal low brought strong winds and rain when we were there in May and virtually wiped out the beach for the day. It must be very interesting there tonight.