the storm began to swing away from the US East Coast.

Danielle had been heading in a west-northwesterly direction and looked to be heading for the Carolinas, well to the southwest of the Island.

But yesterday afternoon she began to boomerang, moving in a northeasterly direction.

The Bermuda Weather Service has upgraded the storm as a "potential threat'' and will be monitoring her progress intently as she makes her approach in the next 24 hours.

It is expected that by 1 a.m. tomorrow morning Danielle could be a little more than 200 miles off the Island when it makes its predicted closest point of approach.

But even at that distance, she will still cause winds of up to 30 knots, bringing in a small craft warning, and an increased swell, along with showery conditions.

Last night the storm, which is whipping up winds of more than 100 knots, was 473 nautical miles west of Bermuda at longitude 73.6 degrees west and latitude 30.5 degrees north. It was moving at a speed of nine knots.