Hurricane Earl's projected path has put it on a collision course with hundreds of thousands of people who planned a leisurely Labor Day weekend along the East Coast. Now many tourists are changing their plans, and not all are doing so voluntarily. But you may not have to.

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Hurricane Earl has weakened to a Category 3 storm, The Associated Press reported early Wednesday.

With much of the North Carolina coast under a Hurricane Watch, state officials ordered tourists to evacuate Ocracoke Island beginning at 5 a.m. Wednesday, according to AP. Those who live year-round on the island, which is only accessible by ferry, have the option to stay.

Meanwhile, a hurricane watch that had been in effect for North Carolina has been extended to the Virginia coast, AP reported. The move is a preliminary step to prepare for whatever the storm may bring.

But ABC 7 Senior Meteorologist Bob Ryan advises vacationers not to change their plans yet. "Anyone planning a trip to the beaches should keep an eye on Earl, but for the time being, maintain your holiday weekend plans," Ryan wrote in the StormWatch 7 Weather blog Tuesday night.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has warned people along the Eastern Seaboard to prepare for possible evacuations, but only if the storm's track veers to the west.

"History tells us that we had very dangerous storms that have hit the Northeast before and as the Hurricane Center is telling everybody from Carolinas to Maine, you really need to pay attention to this storm and make sure you are ready and have a plan,"  FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said.

At Naval Station Norfolk, ships are prepared to leave port within 24 hours, if necessary.

Earl, which was a Category 4 hurricane churning in the Caribbean, has a projected path taking it near the North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware coasts.

In Ocean City, emergency responders are already making preparations for the storm, which is expected to impact the area during the busy Labor Day weekend.

"We're monitoring the situation very closely," said Joe Theobaldi, director of Ocean City Emergency Services. "We have a heightened awareness, and should it be necessary we'll take protective mitigation effort, you know action, for the city as a whole."

"We're making sure vehicles, city vehicles, have tanks full of gas, securing loose objects, basic, common sense preparations for what we hope is nothing more than wind," added Donna Abbott, an Ocean City spokesperson.

The Ocean City Beach Patrol is still dealing with rip currents, like the one that grabbed ahold of Trent Sprenkle on Tuesday. He found himself dragged farther and farther out to sea.

"So I'm trying to get back in and I'm starting to get tired," Sprenkle explained. "I saw the lifeguard and I was like maybe he could help me."
Two Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguards did help, diving in to pull him from the water.

"It was a little scary," Sprenkle recalled. "I never thought I'd be in that position before and suddenly I'm really getting scared. But they got me back out."

The water has been treacherous since Saturday, and is expected to get far worse as Hurricane Earl approaches. Even storms far out to sea send massive waves crashing ashore. While the water appeared calm on Tuesday, the shorebreak can lead to the kind of rip current that keeps beach-going parents on edge.

Nancy Fahmi said she was 'being cautious with the kids" because of the storm. "We heard about rip (currents) and are being cautious, keeping them close to shore," she said.

Many people on the beach told ABC 7's Brad Bell they planned to leave Thursday, ahead of Earl.

Having been rescued once, Trent Sprenkle says he plans to keep an eye on the weather.

"Well, we're going to maybe try to stick around and wait it out, but if it gets too bad we'll head back to Harrisburg," Sprenkle said.

The National Hurricane Center is keeping a close eye on Earl's track. It is now forecast to strike a glancing blow across the Delmarva. The storm is not expected to impact the Washington region significantly.

Earl is currently raking its way through the Caribbean, flooding roads, toppling trees and destroying property. As the storm tracks north, it is not expected to make landfall. But emergency officials up and down the Eastern Seaboard are preparing for the worst.

"We have to wait and see exactly what happens when the storm gets close by," said Tim Morrison, a North Carolina ocean rescue director. "If we close the beaches and if we shut them down and keep people out of the water then we'll be OK."

Both Maryland and Virginia officials have advised residents to double-check their emergency plans.