CNN Weather

A new tropical depression has formed in the central Atlantic Ocean and is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Gabrielle, putting an end to an unusual nearly three-week stretch with no storms during the peak of hurricane season.

Tropical Depression Seven formed Wednesday morning 1,185 miles from the Caribbean’s northern Leeward Islands. It had sustained winds of 35 mph at the time, just 4 mph shy of tropical storm-status at 39 mph.

It’s expected to become a tropical storm by Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center. From there, the system will likely strengthen into a hurricane by the weekend as it tracks to the west-northwest. This will be the first tropical storm in the Atlantic since Fernand fizzled on August 28.

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