Hurricane Earl went gone from a 145 m.p.h. Category 4 storm to a 110 m.p.h. Category 2 late Thursday.
The storm will be off our coastline on Friday. That's where you can expect the worst conditions -- periods of wind and rain along the Delaware and New Jersey shores.
The hurricane-force winds are safely offshore. We could still get winds gusting up to 55 m.p.h. along the coastline, with a big drop-off in the winds and rain as you go inland.
The rain started in Rehoboth and Atlantic City just before 7a.m. Many trips on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry were being canceled due to rough surf, so check before you go.
Rough surf in the days leading up to Earl's approach has claimed the life of one swimmer at the Jersey shore, and a second is missing.
Authorities in Belmar are searching for a 20-year-old man who was swimming with a group Thursday night, but failed to emerge from the water.
Earlier that day, the body of a 23-year-old Asbury Park man was recovered from the surf. Franky Lezin had been missing since Tuesday.
Beaches in many Jersey shore communities have been restricted or closed to swimmers altogether since last weekend because of rough surf and punishing high waves generated by Hurricane Danielle and then by Earl's approach.
Earl will move away from the area by Friday evening and we will see clearing and less wind by sunset.
The rest of the holiday weekend will be dry, with the winds Saturday caused by a cold front, not the hurricane.
