24th August 2010 – Earlier today, Hurricane Danielle was located near 16.6N/46.5W, or about 975 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. This system has resumed a west-northwest track at 20 mph with maximum sustained winds of about 80 mph with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure is 985MB.
Danielle was expected to continue west-northwest for12 to 24 hours before turning to the northwest. The forward motion of about 20 mph is expected to slow, and then decrease even more once the northwest turn begins. Thunderstorms near the center have decreased and the low level circulation center is evident on visible satellite imagery. Danielle should begin to slowly strengthen over the next day or two. Forecasters think winds will peak at around 105 mph next weekend.
On this track, Danielle is predicted expected to stay well north of the Virgin Islands. The current forecast places this Category One hurricane several hundred miles east of Bermuda by next weekend.
TROPICAL DISTURBANCE 41
Tropical Disturbance 41 is located near 14.6N/24.4W, or about 20 miles south of the Cape Verde Islands. Maximum sustained winds are estimated to range from 25 to 30 mph, with movement towards the west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph. The Disturbance is passing the southern Cape Verde Islands, bringing brisk winds and locally heavy rainfall to that area. The disturbance became better organized overnight but has struggled to develop further this morning due to a second circulation center which has developed about 230 miles to the south.
Forecasters give Tropical Depression 41 a 90 percent chance of becoming a depression or storm over the next 48 hours. The current west-northwest motion is expected to continue over the next few days, taking the system into the open Atlantic. No land areas should be threatened once it leaves the vicinity of the Cape Verde Islands later today.
The DDM will continue to monitor the system and provide updates where necessary. Please visit the Department of Disaster Management’s website at www.bviddm.com for continuously updated information.
