Danny Strengthens into First Hurricane of 2015 Atlantic Season

Danny became the first hurricane of the 2015 Atlantic season on Thursday even as the storm remained relatively small and far from affecting any land, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Winds from Danny were gusting up to 75 miles per hour (120 kph), government forecasters said, just attaining hurricane status of at least 74 mph (120 kph) winds.

Danny was projected to weaken back into a tropical storm before reaching Puerto Rico on Tuesday morning, according to the Miami-based hurricane center's five-day outlook.

"Danny is a small tropical cyclone," the center said, adding that hurricane-force winds extended only 10 miles (20 km) from the center of the storm.