Former Tropical Depression Five strengthened to Tropical Storm Danielle west of the Azores on Thursday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Danielle was located at latitude 38.1°N and longitude 44.7°W which put it about 960 miles (1545 km) west of the Azores. Danielle was moving toward the east at 2 m.p.h. (3 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1012 mb.

The circulation around former Tropical Depression Five organized quickly on Thursday morning and the National Hurricane Center upgraded it to Tropical Storm Danielle. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Danielle’s circulation and an eye was apparent on visible and microwave satellite images. The eye was surrounded by a broken ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Tropical Storm Danielle. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 35 miles (55 km) from the center of Danielle.

Tropical Storm Danielle will be in an environment favorable for intensification during the next 48 hours. Danielle will be over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are 27˚C. It will be in a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Storm Danielle will intensify during the next 48 hours. Danielle could intensify to a hurricane during the next 36 hours.

Tropical Storm Danielle will be in an area where the steering winds are weak during the next 48 hours. Danielle is likely to meander slowly over the North Atlantic. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Danielle will remain far to the west of the Azores during the next 48 hours.