Tropical Storm Danielle forms, expected to become 1st Atlantic hurricane of 2022 [The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La.]

Sep. 1—Tropical Storm Danielle has formed in the Atlantic and is expected to strengthen into the first hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic season, forecasters said Thursday morning.

Update: Tropical Storm Danielle strengthens in Atlantic

Danielle was about 960 miles west of the Azores and was moving east at 2 mph, as of 10 a.m. Thursday. It poses no immediate threat to land.

It's the first storm to form in the Atlantic basin in more than a month. No named storms formed in August, which is only the third time that's happened since 1950.

3 systems brewing in Atlantic

Danielle is one of three disturbances hurricane forecasters were tracking in the Atlantic on Thursday. The other two have the potential to develop into tropical depressions this week.

It is too early to tell if either of those disturbances could reach the continental U.S.

Here's what to know about the tropics as of 10 a.m. from the National Hurricane Center.

Where is Tropical Storm Danielle?

Tropical Storm Danielle is in the open Atlantic and is not expected to reach the U.S.

It has winds of 40 mph, and strengthening is expected. It's forecast to become a hurricane a day or two. Top winds could peak at 90 mph in about four days, meteorologists said.

It poses no immediate threat to land, and no coastal watches or warnings were in effect as of Thursday morning.

It's expected to weaken as it moves north over cooler water.

Read the full advisory.

Disturbance by the Leeward Islands

Forecasters are tracking a disturbance several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands.

Any additional development of the system will lead to the formation of a tropical depression, they said.

It's expected to move slowly northwest toward the waters near the Leeward Islands.

It has an 80% chance of developing into at least a tropical depression within five days.

Disturbance near Cabo Verde Islands

Forecasters also are watching a disturbance that's northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.

The showers associated with it are poorly organized, forecasters said, but there's still a chance that a short-lived tropical depression could form in the next day or two.

The system is expected to move over cooler waters by the weekend, limiting further development.

The disturbance could bring heavy rain to parts of the Cabo Verde Islands regardless of development, forecasters said.

The system has a 30% chance of developing into at least a tropical depression within five days.

Read the full outlook.

Busiest time of the season

This is historically the busiest time of the Atlantic hurricane season.

In the last 100 years, the tropics have been the most active in August, September and October, with Sept. 10 being the peak of the season, according to federal forecasters. About 80% of the systems that have hit the Gulf Coast formed during this time, according to the National Weather Service in Slidell.

So far, there have been four named storms this season — Alex, Bonnie, Colin and now Danielle.

Hurricane season ends Nov. 30, but storms can form any time.

What to do now

Now is the time to review hurricane plans and make sure your property is ready for hurricane season.

Here are some tips from the National Weather Service for how to prepare for the season:

— Put together an emergency kit. Here are 60+ nonperishable items to consider including.

— Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators and storm shutters.

— Make a plan with your family or close friends and decide how you will get in touch and where you will go if there's an emergency. Here's how to decide if you should evacuate.

— Plan your evacuation route and have an alternate route. Here are 15 things to do before evacuating.

— Make a plan for your pets. Here are some tips.

— If you have a generator, check it and see if any maintenance needs to be done. Don't forget these important generator safety tips.

— Do any maintenance you've been putting off on your vehicle.

— Review your insurance policies.

— Keep your trees around your home trimmed to prevent damage from broken branches. Here's advice from gardening expert Dan Gill.

— Have materials in advance to board windows to protect them from flying debris.

Don't miss a storm update this hurricane season. Sign up for our free Hurricane Center newsletter.

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