Hurricane Earl's track appeared that it would pass just to the east of New England, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The storm was expected to stay on a north-northeast track bringing it very close to Nantucket late Friday night.
The National Hurricane Center downgraded Earl to a category 1 hurricane at 11 a.m. Friday.
Eastern parts of the Connecticut shoreline remained under a tropical storm warning Friday. Those areas began to see rain and gusty winds from the outer bands of Earl just after noon. Areas west of I-91 were expected to see light rain, according to NBC Connecticut meteorologist Bob Maxon.
Earl grazed the Outer Banks of North Carolina before daybreak Friday.
It flooded parts of the barrier islands and knocked out power to thousands in the area.
The storm will move up the East Coast and could bring near-hurricane force winds to Cape Cod late Friday night or early Saturday morning.
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