"Strengthening is expected during the next 48 hours ... Earl is forecast to become a major hurricane by Tuesday," the National Hurricane Center said.
The track of Earl continued to shift westerly and it now looks like Hurricane earl will blow across St. John beginning after midnight Monday morning. It is expected to have category 2>3 level winds between 96 and 130 miles an hour.
Hurricane Marilyn - the storm which ravaged the islands, in 1995, was a Cat 3.
Home owners, villa managers, and business folk began preparations last Thursday, moving outdoor furniture inside and tying down what was left. By Friday evening, the sounds of hammering and nail guns could be heard, boarding up. StormCarib reports Monday flights out of St. Thomas have been canceled.
Here are hurricane resources on the Web:
- WeatherUnderground.com
- StormCarib
- NOAA National Hurricane Center
- St. John Spicecam (Cruz Bay conditions)
