Breaking a streak of over two months without a named storm, Tropical Storm Danielle formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday with top winds of 40 mph.
Danielle is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by the weekend as it meanders in the northern Atlantic. As of Thursday, it posed no risk to land.
Danielle is the fourth named tropical system of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.
There are also two potential tropical systems in the Atlantic Ocean, including one with 80% of forming into a tropical storm. The system is headed toward the Caribbean Sea and could threaten the Caribbean islands this weekend.
The reprieve from tropical activity in the Atlantic largely came as a surprise as most experts projected the 2022 hurricane season would be well above average.
This hurricane season marked the first in 25 years that did not include a named storm in August. The Atlantic hurricane season generally peaks on Sept. 10.
