text: hurricane danielle ( 2010 ) hurricane danielle was the first of four category 4 hurricanes during the 2010 atlantic hurricane season . the sixth tropical depression , fourth named storm , second hurricane , and first major hurricane of the season , danielle developed as a typical cape verde - type hurricane from a tropical wave on august 21 . quickly intensifying , the new tropical depression became a tropical storm eighteen hours after formation on august 22 , and it reached category 2 on august 24 . also on august 24 , hurricane danielle weakened back to a category 1 hurricane , but it returned to category 2 strength on august 25 . further intensification occurred and danielle became a category 4 hurricane with peak winds of 135 miles per hour ( 217 km / h ) on august 27 . it then weakened , and finally dissipated on august 30 . the hurricane was the first in a rapid succession of eleven named storms , which ended in late september . meteorological history on august 20 , a tropical wave that had formed two days earlier off africa 's western coast interacted with a large tropical disturbance in the intertropical convergence zone . this disorganized disturbance covered an area from the southwest of senegal to the south of the cape verde islands while slowly moving west . the national hurricane center ( nhc ) began monitoring the system , initially giving this area of disturbed weather a 20 % chance of development . as it moved through favorable conditions , the system became more organized and began circulating at a low level . on august 20 , 8 : 00 am edt , the national hurricane center gave the disturbance a 40 % chance of becoming a tropical cyclone during the following 48 hours . the nhc stated that a broad area of low pressure had formed , and conditions were favorable for further development . the system continued to organize , and the chance was raised to the " high " category on august 21 at 2 : 00 pm edt , indicating at least 60 % probability of development into a tropical cyclone within the following 48 hours . the tropical disturbance became banded and the convection became even more organized . late that afternoon , the system was designated as tropical depression six . as the depression tracked slowly westward , it quickly intensified . the following day , it was upgraded to tropical storm danielle , the fourth tropical storm of the season . slow intensification ensued as danielle headed generally westward and eventually became the second hurricane of the season on august 23 , with hurricane - force winds extending outward for a 10 - mile ( 16 km ) radius . hurricane danielle reached an initial peak intensity on august 24 at category 2 with a maximum wind speed of 100 mph ( 160 km / h ; 87 kn ) and hurricane - force winds extending out for 30 miles ( 48 km ) , however , later that day , danielle began to rapidly weaken as it encountered an area of high wind shear and dry air . danielle weakened to a category 1 hurricane with 75 mph ( 121 km / h ; 65 kn ) winds late on august 24 . danielle quickly re - intensified early on the night of august 24 – 25 , and it had hurricane - force winds in a 30 miles ( 48 km ) radius from the center . further intensification was gradual , and danielle again reached category 2 strength late on august 25 , and an eye was present on satellite images . it had hurricane - force winds extending outwards 40 miles ( 64 km ) from the center . after a few days of gradual strengthening , danielle began to rapidly intensify on august 27 , and became the first major hurricane of the season with winds of 120 mph ( 190 km / h ; 100 kn ) . hurricane - force winds extended out for 50 miles ( 80 km ) , and tropical storm - force winds extended out for 205 miles ( 330 km ) . continuing the rapid intensification , hurricane danielle briefly became a category 4 hurricane on august 27 , when it was situated 545 miles ( 877 km ) southeast of bermuda , attaining its peak intensity with winds of 135 mph ( 217 km / h ; 117 kn ) and a minimum barometric pressure of 94 . 2 kpa ( 27 . 82 inhg ) . the hurricane - force winds were in a radius of 60 miles ( 97 km ) , and the tropical storm - force winds extended out for 205 miles ( 330 km ) from the center . however , on august 28 , danielle encountered a large middle - level to upper - level weather trough moving off the coast of the eastern united states into the atlantic ocean . this pushed danielle north - northeast . the inner of danielle 's two eye walls eroded as the hurricane weakened . during this time , hurricane danielle 's outflow exposed the core of the more southerly hurricane earl . however , hurricane earl ( then a tropical storm ) retained strong circulation , and the center eventually moved back into the convection flow . the outflow from danielle kept earl a tropical storm before danielle accelerated north and northeastward . as danielle moved into a region with cooler sea surface temperatures and higher wind shear , it began to weaken at a steady pace and slowly began its extratropical transition . danielle weakened to a category 1 hurricane on august 29 , and became a tropical storm on the afternoon of august 30 . accelerating northeastward , danielle completed the extratropical transition later that day . during the next few days , the extratropical remnants of hurricane danielle moved across the northern atlantic ocean , and were forecast to move into the area of greenland and iceland over the next five days . however , on september 3 , danielle 's remnants dissipated after 72 hours in the cold waters of the northern atlantic ocean . preparations and impact on august 27 , a tropical storm watch was issued on bermuda before being canceled during the afternoon of august 28 because danielle turned sharply east . however , it still triggered an advisory concerning high surf and large waves on bermuda . hurricane danielle and hurricane earl caused strong ocean swells and rip currents on the coasts of new jersey , delaware , and which swept people out to sea . in florida , around 250 people from ocean city were swept out to sea , and at least one person was drowned by the riptides . at least 70 more people had to be rescued off the remaining coast of eastern central florida . on august 31 , despite being more than 475 miles ( 764 km ) from newfoundland , tropical storm danielle still caused 10 feet ( 3 . 0 m ) waves on its shores . researchers exploring the sunken remnants of the rms titanic were forced to leave the area when danielle approached on august 29 .