Tropical Depression Forms In Atlantic Ocean

A tropical depression has formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. But some strengthening was forecast and the National Hurricane Center said early Thursday that the depression could become a tropical storm later in the day.

The storm is located about 250 miles south-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands.

The depression is moving toward the west-northwest at about 9 mph, and forecasters are expecting that to continue with some increase in speed over the next couple days.