Latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Midlands - Powered by WACH

1 hour, 1 minute ago  Residents and officials of North Carolina's barrier islands were waiting for daybreak to see how much damage the storm's winds and waves had left behind.

Yesterday at 8:20 PM  The National Hurricane Center says Earl's winds are now at about 110 mph and could weaken further.

Yesterday at 7:42 PM  The downpours started Thursday night in several bursts as the storm's so-called rain shield whirled into the southernmost tip of the barrier islands.

Yesterday at 3:45 PM  Sophisticated computer models that replaced instinct with cold, hard math have helped forecasters predict where a storm like Hurricane Earl is going about twice as accurately as 20 years ago.

Yesterday at 3:37 PM  Greenpeace said about 500,000 Facebook users have urged the world's largest online social network to abandon plans to buy electricity from a coal-based energy company for its new data center in the U.S.

Yesterday at 1:25 PM  Hurricane Earl is expected to pass by well off the South Carolina coast, but its effects will evident as the storm passes.

Yesterday at 12:54 PM  Scientists reviewing the acclaimed but beleaguered international climate change panel called Monday for a major overhaul in the way it's run, but stopped short of calling for the ouster of the current leader.

Yesterday at 10:00 AM  The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued a tropical storm warning early Thursday for the coast of Long Island in New York and a hurricane watch was issued for areas of Massachusetts.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010  Midlands Red Cross volunteers on alert as Hurricane Earl threatens coastal residents in North Carolina.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010  Coastal North Carolina residents are moving out of the possible path of Hurricane Earl, while local Red Cross volunteers are heading out to help.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010  Due to category three Hurricane Earl and it's Tropical Storm counterpart, Fiona, a significant rip current risk will exist along South Carolina's coastline heading into the holiday weekend.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010  Forecasters say Hurricane Earl has become a Category 4 storm with top sustained winds of 135 mph as the dangerous and powerful storm heads toward the East Coast.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010  Forecasters say the seventh tropical storm of the season has formed far out in the Atlantic on the heels of Hurricane Earl that's steaming toward the Eastern Seaboard.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010  Tourists on a North Carolina vacation destination island were ordered to board the ferries and head for the mainland Wednesday and more evacuations could be on the way as powerful Hurricane Earl threatened to sideswipe the East Coast.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010  A second North Carolina county has ordered the evacuation of people on an Outer Banks island ahead of Hurricane Earl.