Hurricane Earl was the big talk of the week, upgrading and then downgrading and picking up speed, but ultimately largely spared the East Coast the damage that many experts were predicting.


Two swimmers in New Jersey drowned in the strong tides caused by the storm, and the coast of North Carolina got pounded with wind, while some parts of New England and Nova Scotia saw some heavy rain and knocked-down power lines, but overall, Earl kept most of it's strength away from the coast and  most of the damage was minimal for the hurricane that for at least a short period of time was Category Four, stronger than a certain Category Three hurricane that flooded New Orleans five years ago.

Hurricane Earl, now downgraded to a tropical storm, has drifted north into Canadian waters and is expect to fizzle out into the North Atlantic.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina got brushed hard with winds and rain, but the hurricane quickly lost strength as it moved north, bringing significant rain, but not much else. While many East Coast flights were cancelled or delayed, Labor Day was not ruined as many forecasted. Most businesses, even along the coast were re-opened

Hurricane Earl dropped in strength, then regained it, gathering wind speeds up to 140 mph as it inched closed to the Eastern United States. Currently a Category Four hurricane, Earl could get to Category Five (155 mph and higher) if it continues to strengthen.

President Obama has declared an emergency, with FEMA and the US Department of Homeland Security now coordinating disaster management and relief with state and local governments. The governors of North Carolina, Virginia, an Maryland have declared emergencies, with Virginia governor Bob McDonnell activating the National Guard and sending troops to Chesapeake Bay.

These images of Hurricane Earl, courtesy of American astronaut Douglas Wheelock aboard the International Space Station, were posted via twitter under the moniker "astro_wheels." You can see more of his photos of space, including New York City at night here.

Earl has taken a more western trajectory and his headed closer to the East Coast of the United States, with most projections showing the storm blowing through the Outer Banks of North Carolina by Thursday. The NOAA has called for a hurricane watch as of this time for the North Carolina Coast. The hurricane is a Category 4  with sustained wins of 135 mph.