Hurricane Earl (2010)

Basin

North Atlantic

Dates

August 24, 2010 to September 6, 2010

Peak strength

Category 4, 125 kt (144 mph)

Lowest pressure

927 mb (27.37 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

27.7

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

240 nmi (444 km, 276 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

80 nmi (148 km, 92 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

15 nmi (28 km, 17 mi)

Overall size

300 nmi (556 km, 345 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

145 kt (167 mph)

Fastest the center moved

37 kt (43 mph)

Identifier

AL072010

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

3 (3 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

1

Property damage

$652,700

Crop damage

$2.0 million

Events recorded

48 in 19 reports from 12 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

19 high surf, 18 tropical storm, 6 rip current, 2 coastal flood, 1 flood, 1 storm surge/tide, 1 strong wind.

The Weather Prediction Center attributes 633 rain gauge totals over the contiguous United States to this storm. The wettest reached 5.17 inches (131 mm).

WPC’s storm rainfall file, 1900 to 2020, compiled by David Roth.

The strongest winds National Weather Service offices recorded with this storm. An estimated figure is a forecaster’s judgment from the damage, not an instrument reading.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

The Saint Croix airport sensor measured a maximum sustained wind of 37 mph from the west at 156 pm AST on the 30th, and a wind gust of 49 mph from the west southwest at 320 pm AST on the 30th.

St. Croix, Virgin Islands · Tropical Storm · Aug 30, 19:20 UTC

The surface winds recorded by the FAA observation platform at the Saint Thomas Airport measured a maximum sustained wind of 53 mph from the west southwest at 551 pm AST on the 30th, with a gust of 69 mph from the west at 550 pm AST.

St. Thomas / St. John and Adjacent Islands, Virgin Islands · Tropical Storm · Aug 30, 21:50 UTC

There were numerous reports of washovers with beaches flooded as water surged up to the dunes. Many beach roads were flooded in the areas of the Hamptons with Dune Road closed between Shinnecock Inlet and Quogue Village. In addition, dangerous rip currents were reported at ocean beaches Thursday into the weekend.

Southeast Suffolk, New York · High Surf · Sep 2, 05:00 UTC

A State Official reported that high surf had eroded 30 to 40 feet of sand and was cutting into the dunes near the southern parking area at Folly Beach County Park in Folly Beach, South Carolina. Breakers in the surf zone were estimated to be 7 to 10 feet.

Charleston, South Carolina · High Surf · Sep 2, 14:00 UTC

Tybee Island lifeguards observed 8 to 10 foot breakers in the surf zone at the beaches on Tybee Island Georgia. They estimated that about 20 feet of beach had been eroded by the high surf.

Coastal Chatham, Georgia · High Surf · Sep 2, 14:00 UTC

A National Weather Service employee observed mariners attempting to put a 12-foot sailboat into the water, while high surf was bringing 7 to 10 foot breakers into the surf zone at Folly Beach, South Carolina. The mariners lost control of their sailboat and it crashed into the Folly Pier, snapping the boat in half.

Charleston, South Carolina · High Surf · Sep 2, 19:50 UTC

Highest storm surge occurred across downeast Carteret county with a 2 foot sound side surge. Ocean side surge of 1 to 2 feet resulted in minor beach erosion. Winds gusted as high as 66 mph at Sea Level in eastern Carteret county during the early morning hours on the 3rd. Only minor damage was reported some trees and power lines down with isolated power outages. Rainfall was heaviest across eastern sections with as much as 2 inches reported. Mandatory evacuations were in effect for coastal Carteret county from the evening of the 1st through the morning of the 3rd.

Carteret, North Carolina · Tropical Storm · Sep 2, 21:00 UTC

Hurricane Earl moved about 100 miles east of Outer Banks Dare county early on the morning of the 3rd producing significant sound side and ocean side surge effects. Highest storm surge, 4.3 feet, was measured at Hatteras Village at 0942 GMT. Ocean side surge of 2.65 feet was measured at Duck at 1030 GMT. Storm tide values were between 4 to 6 feet. Dare County Emergency Management estimated that storm tide along Pamlico Sound may have reached 6 feet in the Hatteras Village, Frisco, and the Buxton areas. Damage from storm surge amounted to 380k dollars across Outer Banks Dare county. The pier and pier house at Frisco sustained 118k dollars in damages alone.

Eastern Dare, North Carolina · Storm Surge/Tide · Sep 2, 23:00 UTC

The New York State Parks Department reported moderate beach erosion at Robert Moses State Park. Many beaches were flooded Friday on September 3rd with localized washovers. In addition, dangerous rip currents were reported at ocean beaches Friday into the weekend.

Southwest Suffolk, New York · High Surf · Sep 3, 05:00 UTC

Tropical storm force winds occurred at several observation sites in the Chesapeake Bay. At the 3rd Island Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, the maximum sustained wind speed was 43 knots at 1245 UTC, with a peak gust of 50 knots at 1145 UTC. At Little Creek in Norfolk, the maximum sustained wind speed was 35 knots at 1108 UTC, with a peak gust of 40 knots at 1238 UTC. At the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBV2), the maximum sustained wind speed was 34 knots at 1100 UTC, with a peak gust of 41 knots at 1200 UTC.

Norfolk, Virginia · Tropical Storm · Sep 3, 08:00 UTC

A charter boat captain died from injuries suffered when he fell off his boat as he approached Jupiter Inlet in rough seas. Northeast swells of 2 to 3 feet were observed throughout the day, although seas were likely a bit higher near Jupiter Inlet where the accident took place. The boat captain was pulled from the water unconscious by lifeguards, and died 3 days later.

Coastal Palm Beach County, Florida · High Surf · Sep 3, 08:00 UTC

Tropical storm force winds occurred at several observation sites in the Virginia Coastal Waters. At Cape Henry (CHYV2), the maximum sustained wind speed was 37 knots at 1218 UTC, with a peak gust of 44 knots at 1218 UTC. At Cape Henry (Weatherflow), the maximum sustained wind speed was 36 knots at 1134 UTC, with a peak gust of 41 knots at 1307 UTC.

Virginia Beach, Virginia · Tropical Storm · Sep 3, 08:00 UTC

Over two hundred swimmers were rescued by Volusia County Beach Patrol on September 4 alone. Around 1000 LST, two teenagers were caught in a rip current and rescued by bystanders. One of the teenagers was transported to a local hospital were she later died. Around 2000 LST, a 19 year old was found face down in the ocean after being trapped in a rip current. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he remained in a coma.

Volusia, Florida · Rip Current · Sep 3, 12:00 UTC

Tropical Storm Earl tracked east of the region during the early morning hours of the 4th...eventually making landfall on the east coast of Nova Scotia mid morning. The minimum surface pressure across the region was 989 mb. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph...with gusts of 30 to 40 mph...occurred along the immediate Downeast coast during the early morning hours of the 4th. A peak gust of 35 mph was reported at Prospect Harbor. There were no reports of wind related damage. Storm surge was not a factor. The storm also brought heavy rain. Rainfall totals of 1.50 to 3.00 inches were common across much of the region...with localized totals of 4.00 to 5.00 inches. However...the rains occurred after several weeks of dry conditions which had led to unusually low water levels. Thus...although the heavy rain caused elevated water levels on brooks and rivers...no flooding was reported.

Coastal Hancock, Maine · Tropical Storm · Sep 4, 04:00 UTC

• Hurricane AlexNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 295 kt · 946 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 2010Tropical Depression30 kt · 1005 mb
• Tropical Storm BonnieNorth Atlantic · 2010 · 1 deathTropical Storm40 kt · 1005 mb
• Tropical Storm ColinNorth Atlantic · 2010Tropical Storm50 kt · 1005 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 2010Tropical Depression30 kt · 1007 mb
• Hurricane DanielleNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 4115 kt · 942 mb
• Tropical Storm FionaNorth Atlantic · 2010Tropical Storm55 kt · 998 mb
• Tropical Storm GastonNorth Atlantic · 2010Tropical Storm35 kt · 1005 mb
• Hurricane IgorNorth Atlantic · 2010 · 4 deathsCat 4135 kt · 924 mb
• Hurricane JuliaNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 4120 kt · 948 mb
• Hurricane KarlNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 3110 kt · 956 mb
• Hurricane LisaNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 175 kt · 982 mb
• Tropical Storm MatthewNorth Atlantic · 2010 · 126 deathsTropical Storm50 kt · 998 mb
• Tropical Storm NicoleNorth Atlantic · 2010Tropical Storm40 kt · 994 mb
• Hurricane OttoNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 175 kt · 976 mb
• Hurricane PaulaNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 290 kt · 981 mb
• Hurricane RichardNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 285 kt · 977 mb
• Hurricane SharyNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 165 kt · 989 mb
• Hurricane TomasNorth Atlantic · 2010Cat 285 kt · 982 mb

A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Best track as KMZ, National Hurricane Center
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Earl