UPDATE - Atlantic Storm System Skirts Cape Verde Islands
Date: 23-Aug-06
Country: US
Author: Jim Loney
The storm system, which was expected to become Tropical Storm Debby some time on Wednesday, sent squalls over the southernmost Cape Verde Islands but the government dropped storm warnings after the system moved by.
At 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT), the center of the depression was about 210 miles (340 km) west of the islands and was moving to the west-northwest at about 18 mph (29 kph), the US National Hurricane Center said.
The system had 35 mph (56 kph) sustained winds and would become Tropical Storm Debby when winds reached 39 mph (63 kph).
The storm was not expected to reach hurricane strength during the next five days, the hurricane center said after earlier predicting it could hit the 74 mph (119 kph) threshold for hurricane status in four days.
The new forecast had the depression becoming a tropical storm in 12 hours. By Sunday, it was expected to be just under hurricane strength, with 69 mph (111 kph) winds.
The most likely long-range track had the storm moving over the open Atlantic Ocean for the next five days in the general direction of Bermuda, a British territory 560 miles (900 km) off the coast of North Carolina.
On that track it would not threaten the oil-producing US Gulf coast, where the record-breaking 2005 hurricane season caused havoc, or the southeastern US states.
The current season has been quiet so far, with only three tropical storms -- Alberto, Beryl and Chris. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Last year produced a record 28 tropical storms and hurricanes. Katrina devastated New Orleans and killed more than 1,300 people along the Gulf coast.
US hurricane forecasters had warned the season could become more active in the near future. The period from mid-August to late October is usually the busiest.
