Although the center of Hurricane Earl passed roughly off the coast of North Carolina, its large size brought just under hurricane-force winds and a significant storm surge. Heavy rains accompanied the storm, peaking at in Cape Hatteras. The highest winds were recorded in Cape Hatteras at and gusts reached ; however, there were few reports of damage in relation to the winds. A storm surge of came ashore on Hatteras Island, inundating nearby areas. Minor flooding took place along several roads, including North Carolina Highway 12 which was shut down on Hatteras Island. A pier at Atlantic Beach was also damaged by rough seas. Numerous homes along the coast were flooded by rising waters, reaching in places. An estimated 6,600 residences were left without power due to Hurricane Earl. Waves just offshore were measured between , likely resulting in beach erosion. In Manteo, a gas station lost its canopy and some homes lost roofing shingles due to high winds. Damage in Dare County totaled over $500,000 (2010 USD), with 79 houses in the county sustaining minor damage and another six receiving major damage, mainly due to storm surge. In neighboring Hyde County, strong winds caused about $2 million in crop damage. Several homes were also damaged by fallen trees in the Fairfield and Swan Quarter areas. Throughout the state, damage from Earl amounted to $3.88 million, mainly from losses sustained by national parks and agriculture. Nearly two weeks after Earl's passage, the North Carolina Department of Transportation began to pick up debris left alongside roads in the wake of the storm.
