Staff photo by Allison Breiner Storm clouds approach Wrightsville Beach on Wednesday, Aug.

 

An AccuWeather forecast unveiled a tropical depression that formed over the Atlantic Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, and it is expected to develop into the first named tropical storm of the 2009 season.

AccuWeather reported on Wednesday that TD Ncvo. 2 was located about 600 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, with sustained winds of 35 mph and gusts of up to 45 mph.

When the depression develops, it will be named Tropical Storm Ana.

A five-day forecast is expecting the depression to grow into a solid tropical storm before dissipating, said Ron Steve, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

Steve also said that another system is forming behind it, and that this second depression will likely progress into a major storm. A third storm is also forming off the coast of Africa, and is forecast to be a major storm.

AccuWeather stated that the second system could pose a significant threat to the East Coast in about 12 days.

While Steve acknowledged that the systems are far off the coast, he did issue a warning, saying coastal communities should always be prepared.

"It is August, and we do live on the coast," Steve said. "So we have to keep an eye on it and we have to have a plan—because it only takes one."

At this time last year, the National Weather Service had already reported five named storms, making 2009 one of the most inactive seasons in more than 15 years, Steve said.

The hurricane season hasn’t been this uneventful since 1992, when Hurricane Andrew became the first named tropical storm on Aug. 17.

That year the National Weather Service reported six named storms, Steve said.