Tropical Storm Don Spins South-southeast of Newfoundland

Tropical Storm Don was spinning over the Atlantic Ocean south-southeast of Newfoundland on Friday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Don was located at latitude 35.8°N and longitude 46.5°W which put it about 825 miles (1330 km) south-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland. Don was moving toward the west-northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Don was well organized on Friday morning. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Don’s circulation. A clear area was visible on satellite images at the center of Tropical Storm Don. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of circulation. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. The circulation around Tropical Storm Don was small. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Don will move through an environment that will be marginally favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Don will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 25˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Storm Don could intensify during the next 24 hours. Don will move over the warmer water of the Gulf Stream for a brief time on Saturday. Tropical Storm Don could strengthen while it is over the Gulf Stream, but Don will then move over much colder water when it gets north of the Gulf Stream.

Tropical Storm Don will move around the western part of a high pressure system over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Don toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Don will continue to make a big clockwise loop over the Central Atlantic south of Newfoundland.