Tropical Depression ONE
The first storm of the 2009 hurricane season is moving up the Atlantic. Click image to enlarge
The first tropical depression of the 2009 hurricane season is sailing northeast up the Atlantic.
With maximum sustained winds of about 56 kilometres per hour, the depression could strengthen into a tropical storm (winds reaching 63 kph) in the next couple of days. If it does strengthen into a storm it will be named Ana.
The weather system, which is not expected to make landfall, will likely weaken as it hits colder waters.
The North Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on Monday and continues though November.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a U.S. federal agency which operates the National Hurricane Center, predicts nine to 14 named storms this season with four to seven becoming hurricanes. That is considered normal.
