A tropical depression has formed in the open Atlantic Ocean, ending a three-week streak of no tropical activity in the basin.
Tropical Depression Seven was located 1,185 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands, moving west at 13 mph as of early Wednesday morning. The depression had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and was expected to become a tropical storm later Wednesday.
According to the National Hurricane Center’s official forecast, the depression should become a hurricane by this weekend.
The current forecast takes the storm north of the Caribbean islands and in the general direction of Bermuda. It is unclear whether Tropical Depression Seven could become a threat to the U.S. coastline.
"Only modest strengthening is expected over the next day or two as the depression continues to battle moderate shear from the aforementioned low aloft and intrusions of dry air. However, more notable strengthening seems likely by the weekend when the system moves into more conducive environmental conditions," the National Hurricane Center said.
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The last three weeks have marked an unusually quiet stretch for late August and early September. Hurricane season typically peaks Sept. 10.
Sea-surface temperatures have remained warmer than average, but ocean warmth is far from the only factor that fuels hurricanes. An average Atlantic season produces 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
So far this year, there has been only one hurricane in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Chantal is the only named storm to directly impact the U.S., making landfall in late June as a weak tropical storm in South Carolina.
Forecasters expect the Atlantic basin to become more favorable for hurricane development in the coming weeks as wind shear is expected to subside.
