Earl's Wind, Rain Hitting North Carolina, Southeastern Virginia
Hurricane Earl nearing Atlantic Beach, N.C. on Wednesday by AccuWeather.com Facebook Fan Zach F.
An update at 11 a.m. Eastern time: Winds, rain and battering waves are slamming the northeastern North Carolina, southeast Virginia and eastern Maryland coasts.
Wind gusts are generally reaching 30-50 mph in these areas. Wave heights are around 15 feet from buoys near the North Carolina coast, 10 feet off Virginia, and 20 feet and higher offshore.
More than 3,200 Dominion Electric customers in the North Carolina area were without power as of 10:30 a.m. EST.
Highest wind gusts in North Carolina as of Friday morning:
-Oregon Inlet Marina: 82 mph
-Pamlico Sound: 75 mph
-Ocracoke: 73 mph
The radar, shown below, shows heavy rain over northeastern North Carolina, but the heaviest rain is located offshore. The satellite shot of Earl shows that he has not re-strengthened after weakening on Thursday.
Cape Hatteras, N.C., has been soaked by 3.38 inches of rain through 6 a.m. EST Friday.
With the large and pounding waves along the Southeast coast, reports of beach erosion and coastal flooding are coming in from the Carolinas.
Parts of Highway 12 near Frisco and Mirlo Beach, N.C. are closed on the outer banks due to flooding or overwash, according to the National Weather Service. The storm surge overnight ranged from 2 to 3 feet.
The large waves eroded 30-40 feet of sand and cut into the dunes at Folly Beach County Park, S.C.
Coastal flooding has closed portions of highways in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Current wind gusts farther north across coastal areas of southeastern Virginia are reaching 20 to 30 mph, while outer rain bands are expanding into southeastern Virginia and the southern tip of the Delmarva peninsula.
If you have photos or video from Hurricane Earl, whether of preparations, evacuations, damage, or simply sunrises like the one shown above, upload them to AccuWeather.com Facebook, but stay safe while taking footage.
The latest official estimated stats on Hurricane Earl from the government are available on our Hurricane Center.
The satellite shot of Earl shows that he is slowly weakening with the eye becoming indistinct.
Outer bands from Hurricane Earl can now be viewed on the Wilmington and Morehead City radars, but the heavy rain was staying farther north and east. The Norfolk radar shows the rain expanding into southeastern Virginia.
A government buoy station that took a direct hit from Earl Wednesday morning reported 49-foot waves and 101 mph wind gusts.
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| High | 100° | Wink, TX |
| Low | 29° | Mullan Pass, ID |
| Precip | 1.17" | Chapel Hill, NC |
WeatherWhys®
People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
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