11am Update on Hurricane Earl

Location... 30.9n 74.8w

About 300 mi s of Cape Hatteras North Carolina

About 765 mi ssw of Nantucket Massachusetts

Maximum sustained winds... 140 mph

Present movement...north or 355 degrees at 18 mph

Minimum central pressure... 932 mb... 27.52 inches

A hurricane warning is in effect for Bogue Inlet North Carolina northeastward to the North Carolina/Virginia border including the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. Also for the coast of Massachusetts from Westport eastward around Cape Cod to Hull including Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket Island.

A hurricane watch is in effect for north of the North Carolina/Virginia border to Cape Henlopen Delaware.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for Cape Fear to west of Bogue Inlet North Carolina. Also 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. Also the coast of Long Island New York from Fire Island Inlet northward and eastward to Port Jefferson Harbor. And New Haven Connecticut to west of Westport Massachusetts... including Block Island.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for north of Hull Massachusetts to Eastport Maine. The coast of Nova Scotia from Port Maitland to Medway Harbour. And the coast of Long Island west of Fire Island inlet and Port Jefferson Harbor.

At 1100 am edt... the eye of hurricane Earl was located near latitude 30.9 north... longitude 74.8 west. Earl is now moving toward the north near 18 mph. A turn toward the north-northeast and a increase in forward speed is expected on Friday. On the forecast track... the center of Earl will pass near the North Carolina Outer Banks tonight...and approach southeastern New England Friday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph with higher gusts. Earl is a category four hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. No significant change in strength is expected today... but a gradual weakening should begin on Friday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles from the center... and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 230 miles.

The minimum central pressure estimated from the hurricane hunter data is 932 mb... 27.52 inches.

Winds... tropical-storm-force winds are expected to reach the North Carolina coast within the warning area by this afternoon. Even if the center of Earl remains offshore... hurricane force winds are expected to occur on the Outer Banks by tonight. Tropical-storm- force winds will likely reach the coast from Virginia northward to New Jersey by late tonight or early Friday.

Storm surge... a dangerous storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 3 to 5 feet above ground level within the hurricane warning area and the lower Chesapeake Bay. Elsewhere within the tropical storm warning area... storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1 to 3 feet above ground level. Near the coast... the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

Rainfall... accumulations of 2 to 4 inches... with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches... are expected over portions of eastern North Carolina including the Outer Banks. Accumulations of 1 to 2 inches are possible farther to the north along the immediate mid-Atlantic coast.

Surf... large swells from earl will continue to affect the Bahamas and the east coast of the United States through Friday. These swells will likely cause dangerous surf conditions and rip currents.

Next intermediate advisory... 200 pm edt

Next complete advisory... 500 pm edt.