Earl weakens to a Category 1, winds near 85 mph

February 5, 2012, 12:00 pm | Health, Science, Travel, U.S.

Hurricane Earl has weakened to a Category 1 storm as it heads for the Northeast and some watches and warnings have been reduced or dropped from Long Island to Maine.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Friday that a hurricane warning for the southeast coast of Massachusetts was reduced in size. But the warning remains in effect for areas including Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

Earl’s center was moving away from North Carolina on a north-northeast track and was expected to approach southeastern New England on Friday night.

Top sustained winds have decreased to near 85 mph (140 kph). It’s center is about 350 miles (565 kilometers) south-southwest Nantucket.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

BUXTON, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Earl kicked up dangerous waves and rip currents along the East Coast as it blew over open water Friday toward Cape Cod after brushing North Carolina’s Outer Banks, leaving flooding but no injuries on the narrow vacation islands.

The weakened storm passed the Outer Banks before dawn, farther offshore than had been feared but still knocking out power to thousands and closing a road to a main bridge between the islands and the mainland.

The storm remained very much a threat as it swirled up the Eastern Seaboard toward Cape Cod. President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for Massachusetts to make it easier for the government to provide disaster relief.

When Earl sideswiped North Carolina, its winds had dropped to 105 mph from 145 mph a day before. And at its closest approach, its center passed about 85 miles east of Cape Hatteras — up to 50 miles farther out than forecasters feared.

Hurricane-force winds, which start at 74 mph, apparently did not reach the Outer Banks, the National Hurricane Center’s chief forecaster James Franklin said.

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