Published On:Wednesday, September 01, 2010

A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions can be felt in the identified area within 36 hours while a tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area….generally within 48 hours.

At 5am edt the center of Hurricane Earl was located near latitude 24.0 degrees north and longitude 71.2 degrees west or about 175 miles east-northeast of Grand Turks, Turks and Caicos Islands and 310 miles east-southeast of San Salvador.

Hurricane Earl is moving toward the northwest near 16 miles per hour. This general motion is expected to continue today with a gradual turn to the north-northwest thereafter. On the current forecast track Earl is expected to pass well east and northeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands and northeast of the Bahamas today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 125 miles per hour with higher gusts making Earl a major category three hurricane. Some fluctuations in strength are possible during the next 48 hours. Hurricane force winds extend

outward up to 90 miles from its center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 200 miles from its center.

Residents in San Salvador can expect heavy downpour, strong gusty winds up to tropical storm force, flooding in low-lying areas and dangerous battering waves up to 25 feet today andgradually starting to subside by tonight. Therefore, residents in San Salvador should remain indoors once the conditions begin to deterioate and remain ready to take the quick action should the cyclone change course and increase its threat.

Residents in San Salvador should continue to monitor the progress of Earl and remain in doors during the passage of the feeder bands which can produce heavy downpours and strong gusty winds.

Small craft operators in the central Bahamas should remain in port and continue to monitor the progress of Earl.