Earl Continues to Organize & Intensify

Hurricane Earl continued to organize overnight.  As of 7am CDT this morning, the center of Earl was located about 25 miles North/Northeast of St. Martin.  This position is also about 140 miles East of St. Thomas.  Earl is moving toward the West/Northwest at 14 mph.  Maximum sustained winds are estimated at 110 mph.

Earl is expected to take on more of a Northwestward motion over the next 24-36 hours, and is likely to continue strengthening during that time.

The most dangerous portion of Earl will pass safely North of Puerto Rico, however Tropical Storm force winds are still possible there today, particularly on North and Northeast sides of the island.

Residents along the U.S. East Coast should continue to monitor the progress of Earl this week, particularly from North Carolina on Northward.  Computer models continue to forecast Earl to remain safely offshore until perhaps reaching parts of New England toward the end of the week.  While the center of Earl is still expected to remain offshore at that time, the outer bands of stronger winds and thunderstorm activity could still affect parts of the region. 

Obviously any change in track toward the West could have a dramatic impact on the central and northern portions of the U.S. East Coast later this week, so all residents should remain alert and monitor updated forecasts and warnings.