The barometer was continuing to fall in Ocean City late this morning as Hurricane Earl moved north and east from the North Carolina coastline. Top winds were gusting to 37 mph at the OC airport, but there was little rain in the gauge.
As the storm continues to move away, and a cold front approaches from the northwest, it seems likely the weather will begin to clear this afternoon, the sun will break through and usher in a fine Labor Day weekend.
The surf will continue to be rough and dangerous for a few days. But it looks like the resort will spring back for a profitable end to the summer season.
Earl, meanwhile, continued to drift away, reduced to an 85-mph Cat. 1 hurricane in the 11 a.m. advisory. The storm's center was located about 175 miles northeast of Hatteras, accelerating to the north northeast at 21 mph. Here is the latest advisory for Earl. Here is the forecast storm track. And here is the view from space.
You can see that this morning's cloudy, humid weather in Baltimore is spinoff from Earl. Radar shows that the rain bands are holding mainly east of the bay.
The storm continues to pose a danger to Southeastern Massachusetts and Maritime Canada. But fo us, we'll soon begin to turn our weather eye back to the tropics, where three more storms are
Tropical Storm Fiona is in the mid-Atlantic, moving toward Bermuda. The center was 245 miles south southwest of Bermuda, moving to the north northeast at 13 mph. Top sustained winds were estimated at 45 mph. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the British overseas territory.
Fiona does not pose a danger to the U.S. East Coast, but can be expected to continue to help roil the surf here for several days.
Here is the latest advisory for Fiona. Here is the forecast storm track. And here is the view from orbit.
Also under scrutiny by the National Hurricane Center in this busy season is Tropical Depression (and former Tropical Storm) Gaston. This struggling fellow, about 1,100 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, is looking pretty ragged. But forecasters say conditions are ripe for some re-development as it moves west at 10 mph. They give Gaston a 40 percent chance of becoming a tropical storm in the next 48 hours.
Finally, just coming off the coast of West Africa is yet another stormy system. Some slow development seems possible, forecasters said. They give this one a 20 percent chance of becoming a named storm in the next two days.
Other than that? Very calm.
(AP PHOTOS: Rob Carr in Ocean City)