Hurricane Earl Downgraded to Category 2

As Hurricane Earl continues up the East Coast—from North Carolina to Delaware to Massachusetts—residents are scrambling to prepare for what’s now being reported as a strong Category 2 storm, with 110 mile-per-hour winds and 140 mile-per-hour gusts. So far, warnings have been issued for Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and even Nova Scotia. Relief teams remain on standby, too, positioned along the coast, should they need to assist, FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said. CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said the storm will make its closest pass to New Jersey as a Category 2 on Friday, reaching Cape Cod by the evening. According to experts, Earl is the strongest hurricane to threaten the Northeast and New England since Hurricane Bob in 1991.