FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The first tropical depression in two months appears likely to form this week, as an unusually quiet Atlantic hurricane season shows signs of getting into higher gear.
An area of stormy weather in the central Atlantic stands a 70% chance of organizing itself into a tropical depression over the next five days, according to an update issued at 8 a.m. EDT Sunday by the National Hurricane Center. A depression is the weakest form of tropical cyclone, a rotating low-pressure system that’s classified as a depression, tropical storm or hurricane, depending on its wind speed.
The system will move northwest at 10 mph toward the islands of the northeastern Caribbean over the next few days, the hurricane center said. If it reaches tropical storm strength, which requires wind speeds of at least 39 mph, it would be named Danielle.
