Tropical Depression Fifteen formed south of Cape Hatteras on Monday afternoon.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Fifteen was located at latitude 32.6°N and longitude 76.5°W which put it about 190 miles (305 km) south-southwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.  The depression was moving toward the northeast at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1009 mb.

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters’ reconnaissance flight found that there was a closed low level circulation in a low pressure system south of Cape Hatteras and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Depression Fifteen.  The circulation around Tropical Depression Fifteen was still organizing.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the low level center of circulation.  Storms near the center started to generate upper level divergence which pumped mass away to the east of the tropical depression.

Tropical Depression Fifteen will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next day or two.  The depression will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28.5°C.  It will move near the southern periphery of the upper level westerly winds in the middle latitudes.  Those winds will blow toward the top of the depression and they will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The shear will inhibit intensification, but it will not be enough to prevent the depression from strengthening.  Tropical Depression Fifteen will likely strengthen into a tropical storm.

Tropical Depression Fifteen will move around the northern side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer the depression toward the east-northeast during the next several days.  On its anticipated track the depression will move away from the U.S. and it will pass north of Bermuda.