Diane F. Wieland, the Cape May County tourism director, invoked two words to sum up the storm's legacy: "Earl who?"
A less-than-ferocious 40 m.p.h. peak wind gust was reported in Atlantic City, where the rain total was a paltry 0.04 of an inch.
Only the day before, Earl had generated ripples of anxiety from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to Nova Scotia as its winds approached 145 m.p.h.
But it was captured by benign steering currents that spared the East Coast a direct hit. Its center missed Cape Hatteras by about 85 miles, and only minor damage was reported in North Carolina.
Ultimately, rather than classic wind and flood trauma, the problems Earl caused resulted more from its enormous size; its ambitious itinerary; and the waves it agitated, which were blamed for at least one drowning in New Jersey.
The pounding surf damaged concrete pilings under Atlantic City's Garden Pier, site of the Atlantic City Historical Museum and Arts Centers. The facilities were closed while the extent of damage is determined. In the city's Inlet section, moderate to heavy beach erosion was reported near Rhode Island Avenue.
Farther north, as Earl arced toward New England, Amtrak suspended train service between New York City and Boston until Saturday morning. Some airlines canceled flights, and vacationers were stranded when Nantucket ferry service was stopped.
However, Earl appeared content to get out of the way and allow mid-Atlantic residents and visitors to get on with their Labor Day weekends.
Weather-wise, it should be a magnificent three days at the Shore - brilliantly sunny, highs near 80 - thanks to the air-cleansing front that helped repel Earl.
