On August 22nd, a tropical disturbance emerged off the western African coast into the tropical Atlantic ocean.  A surface low developed in association with the tropical disturbance, and thunderstorms became well-enough organized around the low pressure area for the system to be declared a Tropical Depression Seven at  11 am AST on the 25th. Tracking just north of due west, Earl became a tropical storm at 5 pm AST on the 25th, the fifth tropical storm of the season. By late afternoon  on the 26th Earl was becoming better organized as it continued moving westward over the Central  Tropical Atlantic. At 5 pm on the 28th, a tropical storm watch was issued for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Vieques and Culebra,  around 48 hours before the expected arrival of tropical storm force winds, and  was upgraded to a Hurricane Watch at 11 pm, which also included mainland Puerto Rico.   Earl strengthened into a hurricane at 830 am on the 29th  based on a report from the hurricane hunter aircraft.  At 11 am on the 29th, a tropical storm warning was issued for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Vieques Culebra, and mainland Puerto Rico, a hurricane watch remained in effect.  As of 5 pm on the 29th, Earl continued to strengthen and was heading for the northernmost Leeward Islands.  By 2 am on the 30th Earl was passing north of Barbuda and its rainbands were approaching the Virgin Islands.  At 5 am, the hurricane warning was issued for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and was extended to Culebra and Vieques at 11 am, when Earl became a major hurricane (Category 3) since its maximum sustained winds had increased to near 120 mph.  It was then located around  95 miles east northeast of Saint Thomas, or about 165 miles east of San Juan. The eye of Earl passed just north of the British Virgin Islands, and its closest point of approach to the U.S. Virgin islands was around 3 pm on the 30th when it was located about 60 miles northeast of Saint Thomas.  By 5 pm Earl strengthened into a category 4 hurricane, with maximum winds of around 135 mph while it was moving away from the Virgin Islands.  The hurricane warning for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Vieques and Culebra was changed to a tropical storm warning, and the hurricane watch for mainland Puerto Rico was discontinued but the island remained under a tropical storm warning.   Earl���s closest point of approach to San Juan was at 7 pm when it was located about 95 miles northeast of San Juan. The tropical storm warning was discontinued at 7 am on Aug. 31 for both the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The forecast called for Earl to impact the U.S. Virgin Islands with rainfall amounts of four to eight inches with isolated amounts of up to twelve inches over higher terrain.  Recorded rainfall amounts for Aug. 30th at the Saint Thomas airport was  3.02 inches, and 1.91 inches at the Saint Croix Airport.  No significant rains were recorded for  Aug. 29 and or 31. The NWS Coop Station at Coral Bay Saint John recorded 2.42 inches for the 24 hour period ending on the 30th. Downed trees were reported on Saint Thomas and Saint John, and a few on Saint Croix. Power was out over most of Saint Thomas and Saint John on Monday Aug 30th, and in pockets on Saint Croix. Four boats went ashore on Cruz Bay Saint John.On September 28, 2010 President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for U.S. Virgin Islands to supplement the recovery from the effects of Hurricane Earl. The surface winds recorded by the FAA observation platform at the Saint Thomas Airport measured a maximum sustained wind of 53 mph from the west southwest at 551 pm AST on the 30th, with a gust of 69 mph from the west at 550 pm AST. The Saint Croix airport sensor measured  a maximum sustained wind of 37 mph from the west at 156 pm AST on the 30th, and a wind gust of 49 mph from the west southwest at 320 pm AST on the 30th. Other reports from non NWS sensors across the USVI like the UVI CAR ICOOS Weather Flow Two Brother Site across the Pillsbury Sound northwest of Cruz Bay, recorded a  hurricane force wind gust of 75 mph around mid afternoon on the 30th.

Strong Wind in ST. THOMAS / ST. JOHN AND ADJACENT ISLANDS, VIRGIN ISLANDS
From 30-AUG-10 10:11:00 to 30-AUG-10 10:11:00 (AST-4)
Magnitude: 46.00 MG
Property damage: 30.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

The Saint Thomas airport ASOS recorded a 46 knot wind gust. The Virgin Islands Emergency Management Agency indicated the Dominos Gas Station canopy flew off and landed on a car.

Tropical Storm in ST. THOMAS / ST. JOHN AND ADJACENT ISLANDS, VIRGIN ISLANDS
From 30-AUG-10 17:50:00 to 30-AUG-10 17:50:00 (AST-4)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

The surface winds recorded by the FAA observation platform at the Saint Thomas Airport measured a maximum sustained wind of 53 mph from the west southwest at 551 pm AST on the 30th, with a gust of 69 mph from the west at 550 pm AST.

Tropical Storm in ST. CROIX, VIRGIN ISLANDS
From 30-AUG-10 15:20:00 to 30-AUG-10 15:20:00 (AST-4)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

The Saint Croix airport sensor measured  a maximum sustained wind of 37 mph from the west at 156 pm AST on the 30th, and a wind gust of 49 mph from the west southwest at 320 pm AST on the 30th.

Tropical Storm in ST. THOMAS / ST. JOHN AND ADJACENT ISLANDS, VIRGIN ISLANDS
From 30-AUG-10 22:36:00 to 30-AUG-10 22:36:00 (AST-4)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: C-MAN Station

The Charlotte Amalie NOAA NOS Station recorded a wind gust of 68 mph from the west southwest at 2236 AST on Aug. 30, and a sustained wind of 45 mph from the west southwest at 1748 AST.

Tropical Storm in ST. CROIX, VIRGIN ISLANDS
From 30-AUG-10 16:24:00 to 30-AUG-10 16:24:00 (AST-4)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: C-MAN Station

The NOAA NOS Station CHSV3 at the Christiansted Harbor recorded a wind gust of 60 mph from the southwest at 1624 AST on Aug. 30.

Tropical Storm in ST. CROIX, VIRGIN ISLANDS
From 30-AUG-10 15:30:00 to 30-AUG-10 15:30:00 (AST-4)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: C-MAN Station

The NOAA NOS LTBV3 Station at Lime Tree Bay recorded a wind gust of 54 mph from the west southwest at 1530 AST, and sustained winds of 44 mph from the west southwest at 1448 AST on Aug. 30.