The depression quickly strengthened and reached hurricane strength the September NUMBER@1 , peaked as a Category NUMBER@2 hurricane on September NUMBER@3 as it made a half circle , weakened to a Category NUMBER@4 on September NUMBER@5 and bounced back the way it came .

The depression quickly strengthened and reached hurricane strength on September NUMBER@1 ; Earl reached its strongest point on September NUMBER@3 , as a Category NUMBER@2 hurricane as it travelled in a half circle .
