Hurricane update - 30 August

No fewer than five tropical cyclones to watch at present, with one possibly about to form, and another about to cease being a tropical cyclone.

Danielle is turning into a non-tropical storm depression south of Newfoundland, and will head towards Greenland.

Earl is a category III hurricane, which is presently giving the northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico hurricane-force winds. Its future path should give concern to the US east coast, although it is more likely that Nova Scotia gets a category II hurricane knocking on its door later this week.

Lionrock is a tropical storm in the western Pacific, bound into an unholy threesome with nearby storms Kompasu and Namtheun, in the vicinity of Taiwan. Kompasu is a 75 knots typhoon, Namtheun is a minor tropical storm, which will be gobbled up by Lionrock as that storm strengthens into a typhoon.

97L is a tropical disturbance which is trying to catch up with Earl - this gives the forecasters a headache as it introduces all sorts of uncertainties.

In summary: watch Earl if you're in the Caribbean or the US East Coast / Canadian Maritimes.