Hurricane Earl to Ravage East Coast

You may have to cancel your Labor Day plans. Hurricane Earl, a Category 4 storm that’s 200 miles wide with winds greater than 135 mph, is expected to bring high waves, strong winds, and heavy rainfall to the East Coast. “We do not have a forecasted landfall but we do expect impacts along the coast,” said Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Craig Fugate. “Evacuations may be required if the storm doesn't turn.” A hurricane watch is expected to be posted later Tuesday for part of the mid-Atlantic coast, according to the Weather Service, and New York City is expected to see the worst of it Friday and into Saturday, said forecasters. Although New York only has a 5 to 10 percent chance of facing winds greater than 75 mph, the tri-state area is preparing for the worst. Hurricane Earl has already led to airport closings and stranded vacationers in Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, as well as power outages on the islands of St. Martin and St. Barthelemy.