Tropical Depression SIX Forms Off Africa

The National Hurricane Center has declared the birth of Tropical Depression SIX just off the coast of Africa this evening.

The NHC is projecting TD-SIX to move on a mainly west pace as it strengthens into a tropical storm. However, following this strengthening, weakening into a post-tropical cyclone appears likely as TD-SIX enters a heavily-sheared and very dry-aired area that will kill the system right off.

For the time being, however, satellite imagery indicates a very strong and compact core of TD-SIX with outer banding already well developed, mainly on the southern and eastern flanks of the system. The northwest side of TD-SIX is very inactive, and further analysis of the atmosphere does show intense lower level winds to the northwest of the system, hence the inactivity.

Andrew