Hurricane Earl sideswipes NC headed for Massachusetts, Moncton and PEI

Downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane Earl still packs winds of 105 miles an hour of 168 km/h

In Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island last night there was a line up at Peake’s Quay as nervous boat owners trailered their boats and brought them ashore. The damage from Hurricane Juan, which was not predicted until too late, only seven years ago is still fresh in their minds.

All over Atlantic Canada people were getting ready for Hurricane Earl, the first hurricane of the season, heading up the Eastern Seaboard.

Earl was 85 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Caroline at 5 AM Friday morning packing winds of 185 miles an hour.

Flooding along highways was reported as the ocean rose over the dunes. Officials report tropical force winds will batter the North Carolina coast for the until mid-morning.

Earl is predicted to threaten the Massachusetts coast beginning late Friday night. Most affected will be the areas along the coast. Cape Cod could receive the worst damage.

Prediction puts Hurricane Earl in the middle of the Maritimes

Earl is predicted to hit land in Canada west of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, mid-morning on Saturday with 58-65 mile per hour winds (92 to 104 km/h).

Earl is predicted to be 29 miles east of Moncton, New Brunswick by 3 PM Saturday with 58-65 mile per hour winds (92 to 104 km/h) over most of southern New Brunswick, mainland Nova Scotia and PEI.

Hurricane Juan was a Category 2 hurricane downgraded to a category 1 when it hit Halifax on September 29th, 2009 with peak wind speeds of 94 mph (152 km/h). Juan devastated everything in its path including Charlottetown, PEI.

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network