Hurricane Earl has lost 10 mph off its max sustained winds, but that's not saying much as the current winds are 125 mph. Gusts are higher. These winds are measured around the eye of the storm, which is expected to stay offshore. The current forecast track takes it along the path of every major nor'easter. IF this track proves true, expect similar effects from the system here in the lakes region. Winds would increase from the southeast on Friday afternoon and shift to east.
Friday night as the storm makes its closest pass (over the 40N / 70W "benchmark,") the winds would blow from the northeast. This direction, in the past, has resulted in localized effects at the lake. The Ossipees and Red Hill force northeast winds to flow between them, creating an enhanced 'wind tunnel' as they did during Tropical Storm Floyd's coastal pass in 1999. When winds blow from the northeast, Moultonborough tends to get less rain/snow than the rest of the area, thanks to being blocked by the Ossipees. Gilford and Alton often get more, as the Belknap Range adds a little extra lift to the weather, enhancing it.
The above paragraph is a hypothetical situation based on the current forecast track of Earl coming true. Obviously, things would be different if the storm made landfall on New England. So long as the track of the storm is to our south and east, regardless of how close, the storm's effects will evolve in the same order as any nor'easter, with a close pass bringing major effects and a farther pass bringing lesser effects.
In any case, there is some very autumn-like air on the way, and the hurricane will draw it into this area. Winds on the backside of Earl will blow from the northwest during the storm's departure on Saturday. Temperatures will drop on Saturday, and our current stretch of summer weather will end for the foreseeable future. After Earl, we'll see highs around 70 and overnight lows in the 40s.
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