At 12:08 p.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Tropical Storm Watch for coastal Lincoln County in regards to hurricane Earl, presently over 900 miles away to the south-southeast and churning up the Atlantic as category 4 storm with sustained winds of 145 miles per hour.
A Tropical Storm Watch is issued when tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours. Presently the forecast calls for Earl to chug up the eastern seaboard and begin to affect Lincoln County Friday night as a category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 75 miles per hour. Most forecasts agree that Earl will stay offshore as it moves past midcoast Maine, bringing Lincoln County sustained winds of 20-30 miles per hour with gusts up to 45 miles per hour along with 1-2 inches of rainfall. Earl is forecast to move out of the area by Saturday mid-day.
However, as with all forecasts, and especially with the storm some distance away, these conditions could change rapidly if the storm track alters, becoming worse if it moves west and better if it moves east. The NWS urges everyone in the affected area to monitor news media for additional updates. The Lincoln County News website will post additional information here as soon as it becomes available, and will be staffed on a continual basis until the storm passes.
Presently, the NWS is calling for 42 percent chance of tropical storm conditions in Lincoln County and a “minimal” chance of hurricane conditions should the storm course slide to the west.
According to the NWS, storm surge from Earl is not forecast to be hazardous at approximately 1 foot of surge. The high tide on Friday evening is 9.5 feet and Saturday morning is only 8.3 feet, and if the storm passes through the area according to the predicted timing, the tide will be low during the surge.
High waves from Earl are expected in coastal areas, and the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency (LCEMA) is warning any coastal visitors to stay well clear of breaking waves.
The NWS advises that there is a possibility of minor flooding inland as any rainfall from the storm will be intense and fall during a short period of time.
As with any wind and rain event, there is the possibility of power outages, especially in coastal areas which should experience the highest wind gusts.
The Lincoln County News website will continue to follow the progress of this event, and post any additional information here as soon as it becomes available.
