Debby Declared

Tropical Depression 4 finally strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby with 40 mph winds. Debby's naming was at 28.9 degrees west longitude, so by the statistical rule, she will be no threat to North America. Indeed, the computer models all agree that she'll follow a trough of low pressure to the northwest over the open Atlantic. While she'll likely become a hurricane, she's not a threat. What may be a threat is the blob of storms approaching the eastern end of the Caribbean. Most models make this blob into a tropical storm (Ernesto) in the Caribbean by Saturday or Sunday.

Pacific Update: Ileana is now an impressive-looking hurricane with 85 mph sustained winds. She's now looking to peak at Category 3, but stay off-shore. Hector is still very slowly fading away as a tropical depression. Ioke hit Johnston Atoll today, not that anyone was there to watch it. A collapse of the eyewall took Ioke down to Category 2 at the time. Conditions are still OK for Ioke to maintain this strength for a few days.