Tropical Storm Debby strengthens
System off the African coast

Wednesday, August 23, 2006; Posted: 7:25 a.m. EDT (11:25 GMT)


MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- Tropical Storm Debby continued to gain strength Wednesday off the coast of Cape Verde in the eastern Atlantic, forecasters said.

At 5 a.m. EDT, the storm was centered 385 miles west northwest of the southernmost Cape Verde and was moving toward the west-northwest at speeds of near 16 mph. This general direction was expected to continue for the next 24 hours, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm had maximum sustained winds near 45 mph, with slow strengthening forecast for the next 24 hours.

Cape Verde is 350 miles off the African coast.

"We are forecasting it to become a hurricane in about four days, but we do see some factors that could prevent that," said Richard Pasch, hurricane specialist. "However, it is well out over the Atlantic. There's not an indication that it will threaten land."

It is the fourth named storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season.

The three previous named storms of were Tropical Storm Alberto, Tropical Storm Beryl and Tropical Storm Chris.