Gov. Beverly Perdue issued the declaration during a Wednesday afternoon briefing at the state Emergency Operations Center near the state capital.

Earl’s strongest winds are expected to reach the coast Thursday night into Friday morning. Perdue warned residents along the Outer Banks to leave those areas immediately.

Already, hundreds of cars were backed up in traffic on N.C. Highway 12, the sole link between the fragile barrier islands and the mainland.

Tropical Storm Gaston’s History:

Storm Radar:

 

 

Hurricane Warnings Has Been Issued:

Hurricane Warning

HURRICANE EARL LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1245 PM EDT FRI SEP 3 2010

...HURRICANE EARL MOVING NORTHWARD OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA
COAST...

.AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS LOCAL STATEMENT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE AND MARINE INTERESTS IN SELECT
LOCATIONS AND COASTAL WATERS OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND
MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND COASTAL WATERS.

.WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
BARNSTABLE MA...DUKES MA AND NANTUCKET MA.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A HURRICANE WARNING CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS
OF MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING
LOCATIONS...EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA...SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA AND
SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI...EASTERN KENT RI...BRISTOL RI...
WASHINGTON RI...NEWPORT RI AND BLOCK ISLAND RI.

A TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING
LOCATIONS...NORTHERN BRISTOL MA...WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
PORTIONS OF MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR
PORTIONS OF MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN NEW
ENGLAND. PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY FOR ANY FLOOD WARNINGS THAT MIGHT
BE IN EFFECT FOR YOUR AREA.

.STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 36.8N...LONGITUDE 73.1W. THIS WAS ABOUT 350 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NANTUCKET MA. STORM MOTION WAS NORTH-NORTHEAST
OR 30 DEGREES AT 21 MPH. STORM INTENSITY WAS 85 MPH.

.SITUATION OVERVIEW...
HURRICANE EARL HAS WEAKENED TO A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE AND IS
MOVING NORTH OFF THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA. EARL
IS EXPECTED TO TURN NORTHEAST TODAY AND PASS WITHIN 100 MILES OF
NANTUCKET TONIGHT. WHILE EARL HAS WEAKENED...IT IS STILL EXPECTED
TO BE A LARGE HURRICANE AS IT PASSES SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND.

.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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. 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.

ALL PREPARATIONS AND REQUIRED TRAVEL FOR HURRICANE EARLY SHOULD
BE COMPLETED BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. HURRICANES AFFECTING
SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND OFTEN ACCELERATE AS THEY APPROACH...MAKING
IT EASIER TO RUN OUT OF TIME TO PREPARE.

Tropical Storm Warnings Has Been Issued:

Tropical Storm Warning

HURRICANE EARL LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1211 PM EDT FRI SEP 3 2010

...A LARGE BUT WEAKER HURRICANE EARL PARALLELING THE MID ATLANTIC
COAST BUT ITS CENTER REMAINING WELL EAST THE NEW JERSEY COAST...

.AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS LOCAL STATEMENT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR PEOPLE AND MARINE INTERESTS IN SELECT
LOCATIONS OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE ALONG WITH ADJACENT COASTAL
WATERS AND LOWER DELAWARE BAY.

.WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
INLAND SUSSEX...DELAWARE BEACHES...WESTERN MONMOUTH...EASTERN
MONMOUTH...OCEAN...ATLANTIC...CAPE MAY...ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE
MAY...COASTAL ATLANTIC...COASTAL OCEAN AND SOUTHEASTERN
BURLINGTON.

FOR MARINE INTERESTS...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR
PORTIONS OF NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE
BAY.

PLEASE CHECK THE LATEST PUBLIC AND MARINE FORECASTS FOR DETAILED
INFORMATION ABOUT ADDITIONAL HAZARDS.

.STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 36.8N...LONGITUDE 73.1W. THIS WAS ABOUT 190 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF ATLANTIC CITY NJ. THE STORM MOTION WAS
NORTH-NORTHEAST OR 30 DEGREES AT 21 MPH. THE STORM INTENSITY WAS
85 MPH.

.SITUATION OVERVIEW...
THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EARL IS EXPECTED TO PASS ABOUT 150 MILES
EAST OF THE NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE COASTS THIS AFTERNOON. THE
GREATEST IMPACT WILL BE ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COASTAL AREAS OF
DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY...AS WELL AS THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DURING THE STORM...STAY INSIDE AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS. DO NOT
VENTURE OUTSIDE WHEN HIGH WINDS ARE OCCURRING.

FOR SMALL CRAFT WHO FAILED TO MAKE IT TO SAFE HARBOR OR PORT...
AND ARE NOW IN DISTRESS...RADIO YOUR SITUATION ACCORDING TO
MARITIME PROTOCOL. IF APPROPRIATE...DEPLOY YOUR EMERGENCY DISTRESS
BEACON. ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS WEARING LIFE JACKETS...AND
SURVIVAL SUITS IF AVAILABLE.