A series of warnings have already been posted for Prince Edward Island, including a tropical storm warning and a wind warning, and the Canadian Hurricane Centre is saying those warnings may be upgraded to include a hurricane warning before the end of the day.
The Canadian Hurricane Centre is currently having a briefing with Atlantic Canadian media.
The Guardian is taking part in those daily briefings.
Meteorologist Chris Fogarty says Prince Edward Island can expect heavy rain and wind gusts of 90 km-h.
But Fogarty said he won’t rule out wind gusts of 120 km-h as the storm crosses East Prince Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening. The storm is expected to make landfall first in Digby, N.S., Saturday morning before traveling up the Bay of Fundy and through the Moncton, N.B., area before traveling across East Prince, P.E.I.
Fogarty said unlike hurricane Juan, which hit in 2003, Earl is a massive storm that will impact the whole Maritime region.
A tropical storm warning means that sustained gales of 63 km-h or more can be expected with gusts to 90 km-h.
By nature a tropical storm also implies the threat of local flooding from heavy rainfall, the hurricane centre says.
Rainfall of 40 to 70 millimetres will likely fall over portions of the Maritimes.
Fogarty said parts of the region could see an inch of rain or 25 mm an hour, but he noted that P.E.I. should see slightly less rain than other parts of the Maritimes.
Northwestern Prince Edward Island, which includes most of West Prince, is most likely to receive the most rain.
Higher than normal water levels are possible along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia and over the Gulf of St. Lawrence coastlines.
However, Fogarty added, since the tidal cycle is not extreme severe storm surge impacts are not as likely as they would be otherwise.
However high waves and pounding surf can be expected along south and southeast facing coastlines around portions of the Maritimes with the arrival of Earl.
At 9 a.m. ADT the centre of hurricane Earl was located about 205 kilometres east northeast of Cape Hatteras North Carolina and is moving north northeast at 37 km-h.
Meanwhile, preparations continue for Earl’s arrival.
In Charlottetown, city crews are removing flower baskets, garbage cans and anything else that could become airborne with Earl’s winds.
The Joint Emergency Operations Centre in Charlottetown, which provides emergency co-ordinator for the entire province is now in full operation. The centre will operate 24-7 until Earl passes.
The province’s electrical utility is also getting ready for what could be a busy weekend.
Maritime Electric’s Kim Griffin said they have 14 crews on standby and have contacted contract crews and asked them to remain on standby to deal with possible power outages.
Griffin said the time of the year could prove problematic for the Island’s electricity grid.
“This time of year it becomes quite a challenge particularly with the foliage and the leaves on the trees,” she said.
“When they break and come down in high winds that can be very problematic for us.”
I don't need a lecture from a snivel servant 5th floor lacky. All I see is the taxes of hard working Charlottetown residents going into rural welfare.