A mid-July tropical wave crossed westward from the coast of Africa to more than half-way across the tropical Atlantic without generating much thunderstorm activity. However, on July 16, the system began to organize, despite the proximity of dry air. A low pressure center formed shortly afterward, even as convection remained quite limited. During the afternoon of July 17, a curved band developed about the center and the circulation became better-defined. As a result, the low was upgraded to Tropical Storm Don about 500 miles east of the Windward Islands.
Over the next day, Don moved quickly toward the west. It strengthened briefly as a central dense overcast appeared, but increasing shear reversed this slight intensification as quickly as it had occurred. By midday on July 18, Don's disorganized thunderstorm activity was moving over the Windward Islands. That evening, before the system passed over the islands, Don lost its circulation center in the face of strong shear and dissipated. Scattered gale force winds and heavy rain did continue, however, as its remnants entered the Caribbean.
Tropical Storm Don was only a small cyclone for its brief existence, forming as it did on the edge of a dry air mass with limited moisture supply.
Don existed for less than two days before succumbing to high wind shear as it entered the Caribbean Sea.
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