A potential risk posed by Tropical Storm Earl prompted the issuance of a Tropical Storm Watch for Bermuda on Tuesday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Earl was located at latitude 24.1°N and longitude 65.8°W which put it about 570 miles (915 km) south of Bermuda. Earl was moving toward the north-northwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 994 mb.

A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for Bermuda.

Tropical Storm Earl was close to strengthening to a hurricane on Tuesday afternoon. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the eastern half of the center of circulation. An eye appeared to be forming at the center of Earl’s circulation. Bands of thunderstorms were located in the eastern and northern parts of Tropical Storm Earl. Bands in the southern and western parts of the circulation still consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the northeast of the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 125 miles (200 km) from the center of Earl.

Tropical Storm Earl will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 48 hours. Earl will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. An upper level low southwest of Bermuda will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Earl’s circulation. Those winds will cause vertical wind shear. The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but Tropical Storm Earl could continue to intensify slowly. The upper level winds are forecast to weaken later on Wednesday, and Earl is likely to intensify to a major hurricane after that happens.

Tropical Storm Earl will move around the western end of a high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Earl toward the north during the next 48 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Earl will approach Bermuda on Thursday afternoon. Earl will be a hurricane when it approaches Bermuda.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Danielle was moving toward the east-northeast west of the Azores. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Danielle was located at latitude 42.5°N and longitude 40.3°W which put it about 765 miles (1230 km) west-northwest of the Azores. Danielle was moving toward the east-northeast at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 986 mb.