The Atlantic region has been watching Tropical Storm Danielle, an unusually placed cyclone that formed far to the west of the Azores. Its maximum winds rose to around 60 miles per hour as it gains strength and moves slowly toward the east. Forecasts released by the U.S. National Hurricane Center indicate Danielle could become a hurricane in the coming days, but at the moment it does not threaten populated areas.
Danielle became recognized as the fourth tropical storm of a rather quiet hurricane season. At present, the storm sits roughly 950 miles west of the Azores and is hovering with a very slow eastward motion, according to reports carried by El Periódico de Catalunya.
The Miami-based team at the NHC suggested in the latest advisories that Danielle is likely to intensify during the next several days. However, no land areas are currently at risk as the system remains well offshore.
Some meteorologists warn that Danielle may still head toward the Iberian Peninsula. They note that model runs and satellite trends show a plausible path in which the storm curves toward the northwest of the peninsula, with potential impacts on the Galician coast.
One forecast from Meteocat states that Tropical Cyclone Danielle, currently in the Atlantic, could become a hurricane early next week. A scenario under consideration suggests that by the end of the week it could approach the northwest Iberian Peninsula and brush the Galician coast near its outer bands.
Juan Jesús González Alemán, a meteorologist with Spain’s meteorological authority, highlighted the unusual nature of this storm forming at higher latitudes. He emphasized how the convective activity surrounding Danielle appears intense for a tropical system at such latitude. He noted in a Twitter thread that this behavior resembles a typical tropical cyclone that forms much farther south, yet Danielle sits near 40ºN, which is remarkable.
González Alemán explained that the storm’s vigor is uncommon for its position, underscoring the unique weather dynamics at play and the potential for unexpected shifts in trajectory as the system interacts with mid-latitude forces.
rare stormy august
Danielle began as a category five depression before strengthening into a tropical storm. It is part of a summer pattern that has seen relatively quiet activity, with only a few notable August storms in recent decades. Historical records show months in August with little tropical activity, with a handful of exceptions such as Alex, Bonnie, Colin, and Danielle in past years.
Private weather forecasters have pointed out that Augusts with minimal cyclone activity are uncommon, with AccuWeather noting that only a few August months have passed without cyclone events since the 1960s. The last times this occurred were in 1961 and 1997, underscoring how rare it is for a quiet August to give way to something unusual in the Atlantic.
arrivals
NHC continues to monitor two low pressure areas in the Atlantic that could influence the coming period. One system is located to the east of the Lesser Antilles and has a substantial chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next five days.
That system is moving slowly west-northwest, lingering in waters north of the Leeward Islands between the United States and several Caribbean islands. A second feature—a tropical wave accompanied by a broad area of low pressure off the west coast of Africa—could grow into a brief tropical or subtropical depression if conditions remain favorable.
The Atlantic basin shows above-average activity expected for this hurricane season, as forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggest. The dynamic weather patterns across the basin continue to draw close attention from forecasters and residents alike.
…
Note: All official updates come from the National Hurricane Center and the national meteorological services of the affected regions. Weather advisories should be followed through official channels for the latest forecasts, watches, and warnings.