Hurricane Danny has seen a slight increase in strength as a Category I hurricane and continues its trek west northwest toward the Lesser Antilles, according to a press release VITEMA issued this morning. The system is approximately 1,236 miles east southeast of St. Croix.
At 5 a.m., the eye of Hurricane Danny was located near Latitude 13.7 degrees north, Longitude 47.4 degrees west. Danny is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 miles per hour, and this general motion is expected to continue during the next day or so. A turn toward the west is forecast by Saturday night.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 85 miles per hour with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is possible today, but Danny should begin to weaken on Saturday when it encounters unfavorable conditions for development. Danny is a tiny hurricane. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 10 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 60 miles.
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect. However, the National Hurricane Center has begun advising interests in the Leeward Islands — the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain from Puerto Rico southward to Dominica — to monitor the progress of Danny.
Both NOAA and Air Force Reserve Unit reconnaissance aircraft will be investigating Danny later, and that data will provide a better estimate of the hurricane’s structure and strength.
According to the National Weather Service at San Juan, as of 5 a.m. today, there is still too much uncertainty in the intensity and timing of the storm as it approaches the local area to have a confident rainfall forecast.
VITEMA Director Mona Barnes and the National Weather Service continue to encourage the public to also monitor this system very closely and to be prepared to act in the event the weather system impacts the Territory.
The National Hurricane Center will issue its next complete advisory at 11 a.m. today.
Tags: hurricane danny, us virgin islands
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