Tuesday, August 31, 2010

UNC Wilmington is moving from monitoring Hurricane Earl to a state of alert. Plans and preparations are underway for the safety and security of the campus community in the event that the storm changes its current projected path and causes severe weather in the Wilmington area.

Earl is currently a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph tracking toward the East coast. National Hurricane Center models indicate the storm will weaken to a Category 3 as it makes an anticipated shift to the north early Thursday, moving it away from the N.C. coastline. Wilmington is expected to experience 20-25 mile per hour winds with the potential for tropical storm force gusts through Thursday and into Friday. Limited rainfall is anticipated.

UNCW will continue to monitor Hurricane Earl as it approaches and take necessary action should conditions change. Students are encouraged to solidify plans in case the storm approaches and action is necessary, and to notify their parents of their plans.

Should travel to campus become a concern at any time, students should use their best judgment and notify their professors if unable to attend class. However, at this time, the university is maintaining normal operations and classes will continue as scheduled.

Hurricane Earl is causing significant rip current danger on the coastline, which will continue throughout the week. It is recommended to avoid swimming in the Atlantic at this time. For more information, visit: http://www.uncw.edu/ba/safety/RipCurrents.html.

For updates on Hurricane Earl, monitor the UNCW homepage, www.uncw.edu/alert, the UNCW Alert Emergency Information Hotline at 910.962.3991 or 888.657.5751 and local media. Status updates will be provided as conditions warrant.

For further information:

UNCW Alert Tools: http://sites.google.com/site/uncwalert/Home/uncw-alert-tools
National Weather Service:http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
UNCW Hurricane Page: http://www.uncw.edu/ba/safety/HOP.htm