Meanwhile, there's a good chance that another storm, Fiona, is forming off Africa. Danielle was a Category 2 hurricane as of Saturday evening with maximum sustained winds of nearly 105 mph. It has hurricane-force winds extending out 70 miles from its center.
Danielle is expected to gradually weaken as it moves into the northern Atlantic Ocean even though large waves and dangerous surf are expected for Bermuda.
Swells on the east coast of the United States are also likely.
Earl is quickly headed toward the Leeward Islands, and hurricane warnings have been issued for Antigua, Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, St Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, St Maarten, Saba, St Eustatius. Hurricane watches are in effect in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
As of Saturday evening, Earl had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving west at 23 mph. According to the hurricane center, Earl has maintained a large, vigorous circulation.
The storm is expected to grow in strength because of the warm waters along its track and diminishing shear in the atmosphere. The official forecast calls for it to become a Category 3 storm by Tuesday.
Earl has been moving west through the ocean, but is expected to turn more northward after passing Puerto Rico on Monday.
The storm that could become Fiona is about 350 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands.
It currently is a broad low pressure system associated with a vigorous tropical wave. The hurricane center said that the system continues to show signs of organizing and that it to should become a tropical depression by Sunday.
The hurricane center said there is an 80 percent chance it could become a tropical storm by Monday and predicts it will head through the Atlantic in a west-northwest direction.
Copyright (c) 2010, Sun Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
