Tropical Storm Earl forms in eastern Atlantic

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tropical Depression Seven in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean strengthened into Tropical Storm Earl late Wednesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.

Early computer models 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 520 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, moving west at 16 miles per hour with winds up to about 40 mph from 35 mph earlier.

Some strengthening was forecast during the next 48 hours and Earl could become the Atlantic storm season's third hurricane by Friday.

The NHC said Hurricane Danielle was still a Category 1 storm, packing winds near 85 mph, unchanged from earlier, but slow strengthening was still possible during the next 48 hours.

Danielle was located in the central Atlantic about 685 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands, now moving northwest at about 17 mph.

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

(Reporting by Joe Silha; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)