NHC REPORT-3 Atlantic storms to steer clear of Mexico Gulf

* Tropical Storm Fiona forms in central Atlantic

* Danielle in northern Atlantic weakens to tropical storm

* Earl in western Atlantic strengthens to Category 4 storm

* No threats to energy production in Gulf of Mexico
(Adds Fiona as latest tropical storm, updates Earl, Danielle)

NEW YORK, Aug 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. National Hurricane
Center was monitoring three storm systems in the Atlantic basin
on Monday, and computer models still showed all three steering
clear of key oil and gas-producing areas in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Storm Fiona became the latest named storm, forming
in the central Atlantic Monday afternoon.

In its latest advisory, the U.S. National Hurricane Center
said Fiona, the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season's sixth named
storm, was located about 890 miles (1,435 km) east of the
Leeward Islands, moving west at 24 miles per hour (39 km per
hour) with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

Fiona could strengthen slightly in the next 48 hours, but
NHC said it was not clear the system would become a hurricane.

Early computer models show the system tracking on a similar
path to both hurricanes Danielle and Earl, turning northwest in
the Atlantic and passing west of Bermuda.

Meanwhile the NHC upgraded Hurricane Earl in the western
Atlantic to a major Category Four storm as winds climbed to 135
mph from 125 mph earlier. Some additional strengthening was
expected over the next day or two.

Earl was located about 110 miles northeast of San Juan,
Puerto Rico, moving west-northwest at 15 mph.

Earl was eventually expected to turn northwest and then
north, possibly coming near the North Carolina coast.

Meanwhile, Danielle, in the northern Atlantic Ocean
weakened to a tropical storm Monday afternoon as winds slipped
to about 70 mph from 75 mph earlier as it moved east-northeast
at 15 mph. Further weakening was expected during the next 48
hours.

LINKS:

Latest news on hurricanes:

here

Link to National Hurricane Center:

www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Link to weather models:

www.skeetobiteweather.com/
(Reporting by Joe Silha; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)