Tropical depression forms in Gulf of Mexico on 1st day of hurricane season

MIAMI (AP) — A tropical depression has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. National Hurricane Center forecasters said late Thursday that the storm had maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour and was located about 290 miles west-northwest of Fort Myers, Florida. It was moving south and on a forecast path that could take it toward western Cuba. The Center said the depression could strengthen to a tropical storm Thursday night or Friday. But the system should begin to weaken by Friday night and degenerate into a remnant low by Saturday. The Atlantic hurricane season officially began Thursday and runs through Nov. 30. Last year’s season had 14 named storms, with extensive damage caused by Hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Fiona.