Hurricane Earl Projected Path Tracking Ends with Little Damage

Hurricane Earl projected path fears were tracking all week. The projected path had Hurricane Earl striking the East Coast, yet the actual hurricane path went different. The storm did skirt the coast, but not to the extent that those who were tracking it expected. The Jersey shore, Chesapeake Bay and the New England state were all expecting the worst, or something close to it. Yet for all the ominous Hurricane Earl projected path stories this week, the actual reality was something milder.

The storm got to North Carolina and Virginia first on Thursday night, causing power outages and some mild damage. However, the states had already evacuated tourists and been prepared, since they had been tracking the storm front for days. Officials stated right away that the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been.

But the projections had Hurricane Earl nearing the East Coast as the next target. The Jersey shore, Long Island and the New England states were all waiting and watching for anything to happen. Yet by the time yesterday started, the system was down to a Category 2.

Everyone knew by the time the Hurricane Earl got to the East Coast, the storm would weaken. Still, those who were tracking it noted that it faded away quicker than expected, bringing little to the Jersey shore. But the New England states and New York hoped that they would be spared the brunt as well.

At the end, the Hurricane Earl projected path was followed, but to a far less severe degree than most tracked it to be. The storm went to Cape Cod last night and sent a lot of rain, albeit the kind seen in the average nor'easter. New England and Massachusetts also got bad rain and winds, yet the power outages and flooding were at a minimum.

Now that the Northeast has escaped the worst, the storm is now making its last stand in Canada. Nova Scotia's coast is expected to get hit this afternoon, with the center 145 miles southwest of Halifax at 5 am est. The system is now down to a tropical storm, but was beginning to pick up speed.

After today, the storm will be nothing more than a memory, and a cautionary tale about hype. Since Hurricane Earl's projected path had it tracking so close to the East Coast, on Labor Day weekend, anticipation ran rampant. However, this was a reminder of why systems don't usually come that close to the East Coast, since they die down quickly by then.

Since this system was a powerful Category 4 a few days ago, that's why it held out longer than the others. Still, the Hurricane Earl projected path tracking ultimately made everyone's imaginations run wilder than was necessary. Yet when it comes to hurricanes these days, it may be better safe than sorry.

Sources

MSNBC- "Earl brushes Northeast, bears down on Canada"

Boston Globe- "Earl grazes the coast, no major damage reported"