Tropical depression forms in Caribbean, Cuba issues storm watch
MIAMI (AP) — The first tropical depression of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season formed Wednesday in the northwest Caribbean, prompting Cuba to issue a tropical storm watch.
The Cuban government issued a tropical storm watch for the western province of Pinar Del Rio and the Isle of Youth.
The depression is expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend after bringing heavy rainfall and squalls across the Cayman Islands and western Cuba on Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters said.
With maximum sustained winds of 30 mph, the depression could strengthen and become the first named storm of the season — Tropical Storm Arlene — by Thursday, according to forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Tropical storms have top sustained winds of 39 mph to 74 mph.
“Right now what we’re forecasting is for it to become a tropical storm and move into the northern Gulf of Mexico,” said Richard Pasch, hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
It is too early to tell which areas of the Gulf might be affected, Pasch said.
At 5 p.m. EDT, the poorly defined center of the depression was about 315 miles south of the western tip of Cuba. It was moving slowly northward, but forecasters expected it pick up speed and start heading north at about 7 mph late Wednesday or early Thursday.
I'm hoping you guys (and my P'Cola relatives) don't have all the excitement you had last year.
The odds aren't looking too good, however.
Really kept up with your 'cane posts last year. Hope you can find the time to keep us as well informed this year.
Looks like we are off to an early start this yr. Watch the track of this one, the first often tells part of the tale for the years storms... Hopefully it doesn't hit FL! The position of the heat ridge now over the East Coast (went above 90 here for the first time in almost 2 yrs today) should keep it west of FL, but it will be something to watch.