Hurricane Earl more forceful, expected to become 'major hurricane'

[Turborama]

Source: CNN

Hurricane Earl continues to pick up more power in the Atlantic Ocean, with winds whipping at about 105 mph (165 kph) and forcing even stronger gusts.

As of Monday morning, the Category 2 hurricane was centered east of Puerto Rico, about 50 miles (75 kilometers) east-northeast of St. Martin, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. It was headed west-northwest at about 15 mph (24 kph).

Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Leeward Islands could get up to eight inches of rain and as much as 12 inches in isolated areas with higher elevations, the hurricane center said. "These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the center said.

Earl is expected to gain more force and "become a major hurricane," by late Monday or early Tuesday, the weather agency said.

Read more: http://cnn.com/2010/US/08/30/tropical.weather/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn#fbid=5tFS21of5oJ&wom=false

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Interactive image of Earl's projected path at the link.

[xchrom]

1. Play nice, Earl. Nt

[zazen]

2. I'm waiting for all the cute "My Name is Earl" article titles

Which makes me want to proactively write one called, "I Want to Hurl."

Hopefully, he'll go out to sea and all of that journalistic cleverness will have to wait for another opportunity.

[brendan120678]

3. And once the storm dissipates...

We'll get some, "Goodbye, Earl" references as well I bet.

[KamaAina]

9. Doesn't look like it's headed for Camden County

which, based on clues in the series, appears to be in western Maryland (the bus from Hagerstown, the time Earl had a crush on a professor at Frostburg State, etc.), all the way across the state from the possible impact area around Ocean City. :-)

[Auggie]

4. "Outer bands of the storm are likely to hit North Carolina Thursday"

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?5-daynl?large#contents

[obxhead]

5. Wonderful. Coming right for us.

Power will be out for a week from this too I bet.

Off to the store to by propane, water, and bread.

[Strelnikov_]

6. He's there. Cat. 5 a possiblity n/t

These nearly ideal conditions for intensification should bring Earl to Category 4 strength by Tuesday morning, and Category 5 is not out of the question.

[Posteritatis]

7. Woo, the five-day track is pretty much aimed at my house. (nt)

[bigworld]

8. Looks like a rainy weekend for the east coast

or worse. Here's your storm path projection:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at2+shtml/144614.shtml?5-daynl#contents

[Odin2005]

10. This guy is looking very scary! I hope he doesn't have Boston in his sights!