A tropical cyclone formed from a tropical wave and a trough and became Tropical Storm Danny around 0900 UTC on 26 August 2009 about 430 nautical miles east of Nassau, Bahamas. Danny moved generally northwestward with erratic motion, strengthened slightly on 26–27 August, then turned northeast late on 28 August as a strong upper-level trough approached. The system lost its tropical characteristics and degenerated into a trough on 29 August about 240 nautical miles southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina; the remnant low moved into New England later that day and was absorbed by a frontal system.
Danny made no direct tropical cyclone landfalls along the U.S. coast as a tropical storm. A separate non-tropical low developed near the North Carolina coast on 29 August, but that low was not considered a continuation of Danny. A tropical storm watch was in effect for the North Carolina coast from Cape Lookout to Duck, including the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, from 2100 UTC 27 August until it was discontinued at 0900 UTC 29 August.
The maximum sustained winds for Danny were assessed at 50 knots (about 58 mph) with a minimum central pressure near 1006 mb, corresponding to a moderate tropical storm (below hurricane strength). Aircraft and satellite data supported this peak on 26–27 August; winds and strongest convection remained far from the center throughout the storm’s life.
Storm surge and heavy rainfall impacts were limited. Buoy 41047, located offshore, reported a 10‑minute wind of 39 kt with a peak gust of 48 kt and a lowest pressure of 1007.1 mb; the report does not record large surge values onshore. The most significant hazardous conditions were surf and rip currents along the North Carolina coast; a 12‑year-old boy drowned in the surf at Corolla, North Carolina, on 28 August.
Confirmed impacts were small otherwise: one fatality associated with surf, and no widespread structural damage reported in the NHC report. Forecasts successfully anticipated the storm’s genesis about a day in advance, but track and intensity forecasts had larger-than-average errors for this storm because of Danny’s erratic motion and its weak, atypical structure with the strongest winds far from the center.
Paid members can generate summaries tailored to the counties of their choice. The Danny TCR covers impacts across many counties and states — a Pinellas County resident doesn't need the Asheville detail, and a Buncombe County resident doesn't need the Tampa surge data.
Upgrade for county-specific summariesSummary above produced from the National Hurricane Center's official post-storm Tropical Cyclone Report. Read the full report for casualty lists, damage estimates by area, forecast critique, and detailed meteorological discussion:
📄 Read NHC's full report on Danny → (opens at nhc.noaa.gov)| Time (UTC) | Status | Lat | Lon | Winds (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-08-26 09:00 | TS | 24.30 | -69.60 | 40 | 1009 | G |
| 2009-08-26 12:00 | TS | 24.60 | -70.10 | 40 | 1009 | |
| 2009-08-26 18:00 | TS | 25.10 | -70.70 | 45 | 1009 | |
| 2009-08-27 00:00 | TS | 25.90 | -71.20 | 50 | 1006 | |
| 2009-08-27 06:00 | TS | 27.00 | -71.80 | 50 | 1006 | |
| 2009-08-27 12:00 | TS | 27.40 | -72.70 | 50 | 1006 | |
| 2009-08-27 18:00 | TS | 27.40 | -73.30 | 45 | 1008 | |
| 2009-08-28 00:00 | TS | 28.10 | -73.50 | 40 | 1008 | |
| 2009-08-28 06:00 | TS | 29.00 | -74.40 | 35 | 1008 | |
| 2009-08-28 12:00 | TS | 29.70 | -75.40 | 35 | 1008 | |
| 2009-08-28 18:00 | TS | 30.10 | -75.70 | 35 | 1007 | |
| 2009-08-29 00:00 | TS | 31.00 | -75.00 | 35 | 1006 |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 best-track database (nhc.noaa.gov/data). Data is in the public domain. Best-track positions and intensities are post-storm reanalysis estimates and may differ from real-time advisories.