Hurricane Earl Makes Landfall: First Rain and Cloud Pictures from Oak Island, NC

South of the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a small beach town - Oak Island, NC. While forecasters continue to predict Hurricane Earl will turn due north, the first rainfall is being noted in Oak Island, NC. (See pictures associated with this article for rain and clouds.)

The eye of Hurricane Earl is heading straight for Oak Island, NC and the storm is not showing any signs of turning due north. For residents of this small beach town, last devastated by Hurricane Hazel in the 1950s, hope continues that forecasters are right in their due north predictions. If Hurricane Earl were to stay on the current path without turning due north, Oak Island and the Wilmington, NC area would take the brunt of the category 4 Hurricane tonight.

No preparation efforts are underway in Oak Island and children are in school at this time. The superintendent of schools sent a message to all parents last night that the storm would be closely monitored and the safety of children and school employees would be held in the highest regard.

Due to the predictions of the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center, rainfall from the storm is falling in yards of homes ill prepared for a hurricane. A quick look down the street shows just how unprepared residents are for a high impact storm like Hurricane Earl. Trash cans still sit on the edge of the road, gas grills and propane tanks are strewn throughout yards and not one window is boarded up or concealed behind hurricane shutters.

For the residents of Oak Island, NC in the Wilmington area, nerves are on edge and all eyes are on local and national weather forecasts in hopes that the low pressure system does, indeed, turn Hurricane Earl northward and back out into the depths of the ocean.