While Earl is now a category 2 hurricane and is expected to be further downgraded to a category 1 by the time it reached the Gulf of Maine tonight, officials in York County remain vigilant.

A tropical storm watch was issued for York County at 8 a.m. At the same time, a tropical storm watch and tropical wind watch was issued for interior sections, including Sanford.

According to a report issued by the National Weather Service Office in Gray this morning, wind and rain is expected to arrive tonight and wind down Saturday.

Winds could get as high as 15 to 25 miles per hour with gusts of winds of 35 miles per hour along the coast, said Michael Cemp, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Rainfall is expected to be one or two inches, said Cemp.

Storm conditions all depend on the track of the storm, said Cemp, and the storm appears to be running on the eastern side of the forecasted track.

The York County Emergency Management Agency office opened early this morning and will stay open until the storm is over, said spokesman Steve Harding.

Saco Emergency Management Director Steven Boucouvalas said Thursday officials are prepared and keeping an eye on weather conditions.

Boucouvalas said although things do not look as bad as people initially thought, storms can be unpredictable and people shouldn’t let their guards down completely.

“We want people to always be prepared,” said Boucouvalas.

Boucouvalas said his biggest concern is the after effects of the storm, which could mean riptides and high surf. In Saco, lifeguards will not be on duty, and Boucouvalas said that if conditions look bad people “need to use common sense and stay away” from the water.

Old Orchard Beach Fire Chief John Glass, like Boucouvalas, said that conditions are not as bad as once thought, but the town is prepared. He said all necessary town departments have equipment and vehicles “gassed up and ready to go” in case of any storm emergency.

Glass said town officials went to the campgrounds earlier this week to make sure tent campers are aware they may need to seek shelter if conditions worsen.

Glass said the beach will be fully staffed with lifeguards, and the town will close the beach if necessary.

Glass said the beach has had some “pretty rough days” as far as riptides this year and lifeguards are equipped for any emergencies.

“We’ll be able to handle it like we have all year,” he said.

In Kennebunk, officials have also been making preparations.

“We’ve been watching it very closely,” said Kennebunk Fire Chief Stephen Nichols, noting that the town has pulled its lifeguards and moved its portable toilets inland.

“Everybody’s in a hold-but-watch pattern,” said Nichols.

Additionally, the town has prepared its emergency response equipment, and set a Friday morning deadline for evacuations, if needed.

In Wells on Thursday, harbormaster Chick Falconer said three owners had pulled their boats out of the water within the last two days ”“ but said he’d been getting many calls from owners worried about their watercraft.

“I’ve been through seven hurricanes,” said Falconer, Wells harbormaster for 24 years. “We’ve never lost a boat yet.”

Wells Fire Chief and EMA Director Dan Moore said town department heads and public safety officials have been meeting over the past two days, monitoring Earl’s progress and making plans for potential wild weather. Another meeting was scheduled for mid-morning to determine the next course of action.

“Right now it looks like it could be a regular nor’easter, and we’re used to them,” said Moore.

But hurricanes are fickle, both he and Harding pointed out, and Moore said if folks on the coast feel insecure about the storm, they should take a ride inland and wait until Earl passes by.

In Sanford, Fire Chief Ray Parent, also the town’s EMA director, said Thursday an emergency operations center was being prepared at the Sanford Police Station, just in case it is needed.

Harding said the storm surge is expected to be three to four feet, with seven to eight-foot seas further off the coast. Those with small boats along the coast may want to pull them out of the water, and homeowners should pick up lawn furniture and similar items that can blow around.

York County EMA director Robert Bohlmann said Thursday the agency has checked its generators and amateur radios and been in contact with Central Maine Power. He said the Animal Welfare Society is ready to shelter animals if that necessity arises, and that York County Community College has offered the use of its facilities if need be.

Shelters will be open if needed, but Bohlmann said he believes voluntary evacuations are on the low end of the scale of probability.

For updates on Hurricane Earl from the National Weather Service, go to www.weather.gov or call 688-3216.

— Staff writers Tammy Wells and Jeff Lagasse contributed to this report. Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.