A lifeguard watches the ocean ahead of Hurricane Earl in Montauk, New York
A lifeguard watches the ocean ahead of Hurricane Earl in Montauk, New York September 3, 2010. Earl weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) as it sped away from the North Carolina coast, where its impact appeared to be less than originally expected. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT)