A tropical depression has formed in the Atlantic Ocean and according to weather experts the conditions are right for the disturbance to strengthen into a tropical storm. If the depression does form into a more organized system, Tropical Depression Bertha would become the second named storm of the 2014 hurricane season.

According to the most recent update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), issued at 11:00 p.m. EST, Tropical Depression Two is currently traveling through the Central Atlantic Ocean, approximately 1,100 miles east of the Lesser Antilles.

The center of the depression is located near Latitude 12.0 North and Longitude 45.1 West. The system is moving toward the west at approximately 16 miles per hour and this general motion is expected to continue for the next few days. The NHC is reporting maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour in the area of the system, with higher gusts occurring.

According to AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Kottlowski, Tropical Depression Two will be moving over "sufficiently warm water" and low shear through mid-week, conditions that are optimal for strengthening of the depression.

"A well-organized disturbance rolling across the Atlantic this week will be in an environment favorable for rapid strengthening during the next few days," Kottlowski said. "It is possible we have the second Atlantic tropical storm of the season by the middle of the week."

As the week progresses, the forecast models show Tropical Depression Two moving in on the southern parts of the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles that border the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

"There is a chance wind shear may increase near the Lesser Antilles as the system approaches, but this is certainly a storm for interests to watch in the Lesser Antilles to Puerto Rico," Kottlowski said.

The "shear" that Kottlowski mentions is a term meaning a zone of strong, flowing winds that generally move from west to east above the surface of the ocean and can disrupt tropical systems. The wind shear over the Atlantic has reportedly been rather strong for most of the 2014 hurricane season thus far.

So although conditions are currently said to be favorable for the strengthening of the depression, when you add in the wind shear factor it's still up in the air as to whether this system will develop further or not.

Latin Post will be providing up-to-the-minute reports on this weather system as it continues to move closer inland so be sure to check back in with us for the latest updates, as they become available.

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