People often don’t realize that hurricanes, especially stronger ones, can cause immense damage even if they don’t make landfall in a particular area. You may not receive the full brute force of the storm, but high winds and storm surge can certainly screw up your life.

All of which explains why authorities are preparing for possible evacuations along the eastern seaboard regardless of whether Hurricane Earl makes landfall in the evacuated area. Earl is a Category Four storm, with maximum sustained winds of 135 miles per hour, and his fury should not be tempted.