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.
More Weather News
-
Winter Storm Blasts Atlantic Canada
Feb 12, 2012; 4:25 PM ET
In Charlottetown, P.E.I., the storm unloaded 42 cm (17 inches) of snow, 32 cm of it within six hours.
-
Child Rescued from Avalanche in Kosovo
Feb 12, 2012; 4:17 PM ET
The child is reported to be recovering at a hospital in the nearby town of Prizren.
-
Giovanna Winds Up, Sets Aim on Madagascar
Feb 12, 2012; 4:11 PM ET
For Madagascar, there can be no escaping the imminent threat of a large Tropical Cyclone.
-
Deep Alaskan Freeze Gives Way to Mild February
Feb 12, 2012; 4:04 PM ET
Winter has been nothing less than a roller-coaster ride for residents of Alaska.
-
Time-Lapse Video of Snowfall on a Connecticut Golf Course
Feb 12, 2012; 4:00 PM ET
Golfers miss the snowfall on Feb. 11, 2012, that coated the ground of the Oak Hills Golf Course in Norwalk, Conn.
-
Amazing International Snowfall Pictures and Videos
Feb 12, 2012; 3:50 PM ET
AccuWeather Facebook fans share their pictures and video of the snowfall from Bosnia, England and Italy.
-
No Explanation for Pennsylvania's Purple Squirrel
Feb 12, 2012; 3:46 PM ET
The third purple squirrel ever found was released back into the forest on Tuesday.
-
Cozy Up to Your Valentine as Arctic Air Plunges into the US
Feb 12, 2012; 1:15 PM ET
We have an exclusive snuggle index for Valentine's Day weekend as arctic air plunges across the eastern two-thirds of the nation.
-
High Hopes for First Dutch Skating Marathon in 15 Years
Feb 12, 2012; 9:46 AM ET
"If they don't do it this year, who knows when it could happen again."
-
Inside Slider to Bring Rain, Mountain Snow to California
Feb 12, 2012; 7:11 AM ET
A storm system called an "inside slider" will deliver some more rain and snow to the Northwest and California early this week.
Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 82° | Gila Bend, AZ |
| Low | -13° | Clayton Lake, ME |
| Precip | 1.24" | Spanish Fork, UT |
WeatherWhys®
The "Dead of Winter," the one-month period when normal temperatures reach their lowest levels, has come to an end for much of the United States. Some people may find it odd that the "Dead of Winter" does not encompass the darkest day of the year (the first day of winter). That is due to a seasonal lag in temperatures. More heat continues to be lost than is gained from the start of winter until this time of year.
This Day In Weather History
Gulf Coast 1 (899)
ry cold morning along Gulf Coast; New Orleans 6.8 deg.; Mobile -1 deg.; Pensacola 7 deg.; Tallahassee -2 deg (All time record for Florida. Brownsville 12 deg. (all time low).
North Dakota 1 (936)
this date the mercury plummeted to -60 deg. at Parshall, ND - the coldest temperature ever for the State of ND. Later the same year, the mercury soared to 121 deg. at Steele, ND - the hottest temperature ever for the state of ND.
Rough Weather
Comments
Comments left here should adhere to the AccuWeather.com Community Guidelines. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.