Ocean west of Bermuda.

Forecasters predicted at midnight last night that the storm would pass 174 nautical miles to the northwest of the Island at 8 a.m. this morning.

The Island was expected to be on the edge of the 35 to 40 knot tropical storm winds associated with Danielle. Those winds were expected to start between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Thunderstorms and seas as high as 20 feet outside the reef were anticipated also. Storm conditions were expected to ease during the afternoon.

Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning at noon yesterday when satellite imagery revealed the category two hurricane was moving in more of an easterly direction than previously forecast.

At midnight, Danielle was 210 nautical miles west-northwest of Bermuda at latitude 33.8 degrees north and longitiude 68.5 degrees west with maximum sustained winds of 85 knots and gusts up to 105 knots.

It was moving east-northeast at 14 knots and pressure at the centre of the system was reported to be 965 millibars or 28.5 inches.

All but one of the Island's cruise ships remained berthed alongside docks in Hamilton and St. George's as they prepared to wait out the expected bad weather.

However the Horizon left its berth alongside King's Wharf in Dockyard and anchored in the Great Sound yesterday evening.

Once past the Island, Danielle should begin dropping in strength as the cold North Atlantic waters take their effect on the depression.

Forecasters had the storm becoming extra-tropical by tomorrow afternoon.

Danielle is the second hurricane of the 1998 Atlantic season, following Hurricane Bonnie, which went ashore last week in North Carolina.