RALEIGH, N.C. -- Most of North Carolina's beaches are back open and Gov. Bev Perdue is urging residents to get out this Labor Day weekend to "have a little fun and spend some money."
Hurricane Earl sideswiped North Carolina before daybreak, a less menacing storm than it was just a day earlier. Its winds had dropped to 105 mph from 145 mph. And at its closest approach, its center passed about 85 miles east of Cape Hatteras -- up to 50 miles farther out than forecasters feared.
Hurricane-force winds, which start at 74 mph, apparently did not reach the Outer Banks, the National Hurricane Center's chief forecaster James Franklin said.
"It is going to be a beautiful Labor Day weekend in North Carolina," said Perdue. "For the most part, it appears we have dodged a bullet."
Evacuation orders in Currituck and Carteret counties were lifted early Friday.
Officials in Dare and Hyde counties are still assessing damage. Most of Hyde County remained without power Friday morning.
Ferries to southern beaches are open. The Cherry Branch and Pamlico ferries resumed at 9:45 a.m.; however, ferries north of Atlantic Beach remain closed for now.
NC Highway 12 is closed south of the Oregon Inlet Bridge due to flooding and storm surge from the hurricane. Transportation Department engineer Jerry Jennings said Friday the sand is as deep as 3 feet on some stretches of N.C. Highway 12 in Rodanthe, a village on Hatteras Island. He says officials hope to reopen the island road by Saturday but can't promise that will happen.
Jennings said at a news conference that officials will know more after the Friday afternoon high tide, expected about 3 p.m. He says conditions could have been much worse had pavement been damaged.
Many people had fled Hatteras Island before the storm hit, but some residents remained in homes and hotels.
