At 5 a.m. AST, Tropical Storm Earl is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 MPH. This motion is expected to continue during the next 48 hours.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 45 MPH with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days an Earl is expected to become a hurricane by late Friday or early Saturday.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center.

Source: NOAA Weather Service