By Danny Valentine, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, September 2, 2010
With Hurricane Earl swirling toward the U.S. coast, Tropical Storm Gaston has formed in the Eastern Atlantic.
Florida will be largely spared of the effects of Earl, but the hurricane promises to bring dramatic surf, dangerous rip currents and monster waves to Florida's East Coast.
A Category 4 storm with 145 mph sustained winds, Earl was expected to pass near the Outer Banks of North Carolina tonight and approach southeastern New England by Friday night.
A hurricane warning was in effect for most of the North Carolina coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Most of the U.S. coast, ranging from the southern tip of North Carolina to northeast Maine, was covered by a tropical storm warning, watch or hurricane watch early Thursday.
Hurricane-force winds extend out 90 miles from Earl's center and tropical storm force winds extend out 230 miles.
Earl is generally moving north-northwest near 18 mph. It is expected to turn north later today before moving north-northeast on Friday
Hurricane forecasters said Gaston had sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west near 9 mph. It was expected to gradually strengthen over the next two days. Tropical storm force winds extend 70 miles from the center.
Bermuda was under a tropical storm watch early Thursday as Tropical Storm Fiona was expected to pass near the area Saturday morning.
Fiona has sustained winds near 50 mph and is moving northwest near 17 mph.
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