Latest Local NYC Advisory on Hurricane Earl...Now Category 2 Storm

As of 10:00 p.m. EDT Earl's wind speeds are now down to 105 mph but the storm is very large and it is still a Category 2 storm. Look for the worst effects to occur in Cape Hatteras, NC; eastern Suffolk County of Long Island and Cape Cod/Martha's Vinyard. The storm will be affecting the NYC metro area during the afternoon and early evening on Friday. The storm was a near miss for the tri-state New York metro area as the upper-level steering winds drive the storm to the northeast away from the coast. The weekend will be sunny and cool.

Here is the latest local New York NWS advisory on Earl:

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
HURRICANE EARL LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
848 PM EDT THU SEP 2 2010

...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EARL EXPECTED TO PASS EAST OF THE
AREA...BUT IMPACTS WILL STILL BE FELT...

.AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS LOCAL STATEMENT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE AND MARINE INTERESTS IN SELECT LOCATIONS AND COASTAL WATER LEGS OF SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK... NORTHEASTERN NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT AND ADJACENT
COASTAL WATERS.

.WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN...SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX...SOUTHERN NEW LONDON... NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK...NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK...SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK AND SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF LONG ISLAND AND CONNECTICUT COASTAL WATERS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD...ESSEX...HUDSON...UNION...SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER...NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)...BRONX...RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)...KINGS (BROOKLYN)...QUEENS AND NASSAU.

A TROPICAL STORM WIND WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...NORTHERN NEW LONDON.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF LONG ISLAND AND CONNECTICUT COASTAL WATERS AND NEW YORK HARBOR.

.STORM INFORMATION...
AT 8 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 33.0N...LONGITUDE 74.7W. THIS WAS ABOUT 540 MILES SOUTH OF NEW YORK CITY NY...OR ABOUT 580 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF MONTAUK POINT NY. STORM MOTION WAS N OR 010 DEGREES AT 18 MPH. STORM INTENSITY WAS 110 MPH.

.SITUATION OVERVIEW...
THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EARL IS FORECAST TO PASS ABOUT 150 MILES EAST OF MONTAUK POINT ON LONG ISLAND...OR ABOUT 250 MILES EAST OF NEW YORK CITY. THE GREATEST IMPACTS WILL BE ACROSS EASTERN LONG ISLAND...SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT...AND THE ADJACENT WATERS OF LONG ISLAND SOUND AND THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

WHEN MAKING DECISIONS...DO NOT FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK. IMPACTS FROM THIS STORM CAN BE FELT WELL AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR THOSE UNDER A WARNING...NOW IS THE TIME TO RUSH TO COMPLETION PREPARATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. EVACUATE IF DIRECTED TO DO SO BY LOCAL OFFICIALS...OR IF YOUR HOME IS VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS OR FLOODING. FOR INTERESTS AT
PORTS...DOCKS...AND MARINAS...URGENTLY COMPLETE PRESCRIBED PREPARATIONS ACCORDING TO YOUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN FOR TROPICAL CYCLONES.

IF YOU LIVE ON A BOAT...MAKE FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR SECURING YOUR CRAFT BEFORE LEAVING IT. BE SURE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE POSSIBLE CLOSURE OF BRIDGES AND CAUSEWAYS. REGARDING ANY COASTAL WATERS UNDER A WARNING...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT
AND WELL SECURED.

FOR THOSE UNDER A WATCH...CONTINUE WITH YOUR PREPARATIONS AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. REGARDING ANY COASTAL WATERS UNDER A WATCH...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD RETURN TO PORT OR SEEK SAFE HARBOR. DETERMINE THE BEST STRATEGY FOR SECURING YOUR
CRAFT.

CLOSELY MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE FORECAST. FOR ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION...PLEASE REFER TO THE DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS RELATIVE TO YOUR LOCATION AS FURTHER DESCRIBED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

George Wright is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist and President of Wright Weather Consulting, Inc. Our website is WrightWeather.com. George is also a meteorologist with Cablevision News 12.