Hurricane Danielle grows to Category 2

Tropical Storm Danielle intensified steadily becoming a full hurricane Monday and has continued to grow reaching Category 2 status by Tuesday morning with 100 MPH sustained winds. The hurricane is strengthening quickly and further intensification is expected.

Hurricane Danielle Strengthens to Category 2 Storm in Atlantic (SF Gate)

Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Danielle, the second of the season, strengthened to a Category 2 storm over the Atlantic Ocean and was forecast to remain at sea for at least five days, the National Hurricane Center said.

Danielle's maximum sustained winds accelerated to 100 miles (160 kilometers) an hour from 85 mph six hours earlier, the center said in an advisory posted on its website at about 4:40 a.m. Miami time. The storm system was 1,110 miles east of the Caribbean's Lesser Antilles islands, moving west at 20 mph.

"Additional strengthening is forecast, and Danielle could become a major hurricane by early Wednesday," the center said.

Should Danielle strengthen as forecast, it will become the strongest storm so far of the June 1 to Nov. 30 season. Hurricane Alex also reached Category 2 status, and had 105-mph winds when it hit northeastern Mexico on Jun. 20. Storms are deemed major when they're rated Category 3 and above on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, with sustained winds of at least 110 mph.

Storm Track

Hurricane Danielle is not expected to affect the US east coast as the projected storm track shows the storm heading to the north throught eh Atlantic. The western edge of the projected path could bring Danielle in range of Bermuda causing some issues with heavy rain and wind there.

Graphic Courtesy of The Weather Channel