Tropical Depression One – The first tropical depression of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, aptly named Tropical Depression One, formed off the coast of the eastern United States, forecasters said Thursday, but was not expected to threaten land.
Tropical Depression One was about 310 miles (500 kilometers) south of Providence, Rhode Island, and about 635 miles (1,020 kilometers) southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The depression, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph), was moving northeast at near 17 mph (27 kph) — away from the U.S. coastline, forecasters said.
Officials believe it will become a tropical storm over the next day or so, but will weaken or dissipate over colder waters by Saturday.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins Monday and runs through November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted a “near-normal” season, with four to seven hurricanes likely.
National Hurricane Center – Tropical Depression One
TROPICAL DEPRESSION ONE – FORECAST DISCUSSION NUMBER 2
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL012009
500 PM AST THU MAY 28 2009CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL DEPRESSION ONE HAS DECREASED
SOMEWHAT THIS AFTERNOON AND IS NOW LIMITED TO THE SOUTHEASTERN
QUADRANT. SATELLITE INTENSITY ESTIMATES FROM TAFB AND SAB ARE
30 KT…WHICH REMAINS THE INITIAL INTENSITY. THE FORECAST TRACK
KEEPS THE CENTER OVER THE GULF STREAM FOR THE NEXT 6-12 HR IN A
LIGHT SHEAR ENVIRONMENT…SO SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING COULD OCCUR
DURING THAT TIME AS SHOWN BY THE SHIPS MODEL. AFTER THAT…COLDER
SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND INCREASING SHEAR SHOULD CAUSE
WEAKENING. THE CYCLONE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME EXTRATROPICAL BY
36 HR AND DISSIPATE COMPLETELY AFTER 48 HR. IT IS POSSBLE THAT BOTH
OF THESE EVENTS COULD HAPPEN EARLIER THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST.
And that’s the latest news on the pre-official start of the 2009 hurricane season with Tropical Depression One.
Tags: 2009 hurricane names, 2009 hurricane season, hurricane, tropical depression one, tropical storm, tropical weather