Subtropical Storm Don emerged in the central Atlantic early Friday morning and is likely to decrease gradually in the following days without threatening land.
According to a Friday morning report from the National Hurricane Center, the system was about 1,100 miles west southwest of the Azores and moving north at around 6 mph.
Forecasters estimate that Don’s maximum sustained winds are around 50 mph, with winds of 40 mph extending roughly 200 miles east of its center.
Don is expected to continue north for the next few days before turning east on Sunday, according to the hurricane center. Don is expected to veer southeast early next week, according to forecasters.
Forecasters believe Don is nearing its peak intensity. While conditions are not conducive to additional storm development, they are not hostile enough to cause significant weakening, so the hurricane center anticipates Don to disintegrate gradually.
According to the hurricane center, a subtropical storm has a massive, cloud-free core of circulation with very heavy thunderstorm activity in a band at least 100 miles away from the center.
Tropical systems produce more rain and have the capacity to develop into hurricanes quickly, whereas subtropical storms do not.