Tropical Storm Ingrid Downgraded To Tropical Depression

MIAMI (AP) _ Ingrid lost strength Saturday and was downgraded from a tropical storm to a tropical depression as it moved through the open Atlantic. <br/><br/>The weak system was not expected to pose a

Saturday, September 15th 2007, 4:10 pm

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ Ingrid lost strength Saturday and was downgraded from a tropical storm to a tropical depression as it moved through the open Atlantic.

The weak system was not expected to pose a threat to land, forecasters said.

At 5 p.m. EDT, Ingrid's center was about 685 miles east of the Lesser Antilles.

The storm was moving to the west near 12 mph and was expected to make a gradual turn to the northwest and decrease in forward speed over the next 24 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center. Maximum sustained winds were near 35 mph with higher gusts.

On Thursday, Ingrid became the ninth storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Hurricane specialists expect this year's season to be busier than average, with as many as 16 tropical storms, nine of them strengthening into hurricanes.