Tropical Storm Earl strengthens in east Atlantic

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Earl in the eastern Atlantic Ocean strengthened slightly early Thursday as it moved west-northwest toward the northern Leeward Islands, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.

Early computer models still show the system eventually steering northwest toward Bermuda and away from key oil and gas producing areas in the Gulf of Mexico.

Earl was located about 695 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, moving at 16 miles per hour with winds up slightly to about 45 mph from 40 mph late Wednesday.

Some additional strengthening was forecast during the next 48 hours, and Earl was expected to become the Atlantic storm season's third hurricane by late Friday or early Saturday.

Meanwhile, the NHC upgraded Hurricane Danielle to a Category 2 storm overnight, as winds climbed to about 105 mph from 85 mph late Wednesday.

Danielle was expected to strengthen further during the next 48 hours and could become a major Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of more than 111 mph by late Thursday or Friday.

Computer models still showed Danielle heading northwest and then in a more northerly direction, eventually passing just east of Bermuda.

Danielle was located in the western Atlantic about 860 miles southeast of Bermuda, moving northwest at about 16 mph.

(Reporting by Joe Silha; Editing by John Picinich)