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Depression forms far from land as tropics show some action

National Hurricane Center

Forecasters are following a tropical depression in the eastern Atlantic and two waves near the Caribbean.

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 11, 2009

TAMPA - The season's second tropical depression has formed far in the Atlantic Ocean but poses no immediate threat to land.

Also, the National Hurricane Center is watching two tropical waves near the Caribbean Sea for possible development, though forecasters give both a low probability of becoming a depression or tropical storm.

As soon as there was enough light this morning to allow forecasters to see satellite images, they determined a tropical wave they have watched since the weekend had developed into a depression.

The depression is about 280 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, the classic birthplace for storms at this time in the hurricane season. The depression is heading west at about 13 mph with winds of about 30 mph.

Forecasters expect the storm to move generally west the next couple days along the southern edge of a high pressure area, then curve slightly more to the northwest.

The five-day forecast calls for the depression to strengthen to a tropical storm by Wednesday or Thursday and reach about 60 mph by the weekend.

If it becomes a tropical storm, it would be named Ana, the season's first named storm.

The two tropical waves forecasters are watching are heading west. One is over the Windward Islands and entering the Caribbean. The second is about 600 miles from the Windwards.

The hurricane center says both have a less than 30 percent shot at developing further.

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