Hurricane Danny Now Category 2 Storm
Tropical Storm Danny has become a small but powerful Category 2 Hurricane.
Still moving WNW at 10 MPH the pressure has dropped to 28.82" A Hurricane Hunter Aircraft is scheduled to fly into Danny later this afternoon.
The small eye has become better defined, and it is now embedded in a circular central dense overcast. In addition, the ragged outer banding has increased in coverage and now surrounds the central convection.
Imagery suggests that low-level moisture has wrapped around the cyclone and pushed the drier air farther away. This could be helping both the intensification and the increase in outer banding.
The subtropical ridge north of Danny remains weaker than normal due to a deep-layer trough over the western Atlantic. This trough is expected to lift northward in a couple of days, allowing the ridge to build westward and strengthen. This evolution should cause Danny to turn more westward with some increase in forward speed.
Danny is currently in an environment of light vertical wind shear. However, it is about to encounter increasing upper-level southwesterly flow associated with a trough over the northeastern Caribbean, with the shear forecast to increase to over 20 kt by 96 hours. This, combined with the abundant dry air remaining along the forecast track, should cause Danny to weaken below hurricane strength as it approaches the Caribbean islands
The models are in good agreement this morning. Areas along the Leeward Islands should keep a close eye on Danny. (Information from the National Hurricane Center)
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