Tropical Depression Twentyeight formed over the northwestern Caribbean Sea on Saturday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Depression Twentyeight was located at latitude 18.7°N and longitude 83.0°W which put it about 255 miles (405 km) south-southeast of the western tip of Cuba. The depression was moving toward the north-northwest at 2 m.p.h. (3 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 40 m.p.h. (650 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb. The government of Cuba issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the province of Pinar del Rio.
Based on data from a NOAA ariplane and visible satelite images, the National Hurricane Center determined than an area of low pressure over the northwestern Caribbean possessed sufficient organization to be designated Tropical Depression Twentyeight. The circulation around the depression was still organizing on Saturday afternoon. More thunderstorms were forming near the center of circulation. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were also developing in other parts of the depression. Storms near the center began to generate upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the tropical depression.
Tropical Depression Twentyeight will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next several days. The depression will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C. It will be under an upper level ridge where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Depression Twentyeight could intensify into a tropical storm during the next 24 hours and it could strengthen to a hurricane early next week.
Tropical Depression Twentyeight will be in an area where the steering winds are weak during the next 12 to 24 hours. The depression could drift toward the northwest during that time. A ridge of high pressure will strengthen to the northeast of the depression later on Sunday. The ridge will steer the depression toward the west-northwest on Monday and Tuesday. On its anticipated track Tropical Depression Twentyeight could pass near the western end of Cuba on Monday.
Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Epsilon was passing south of Newfoundland. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Epsilon was located at latitude 39.4°N and longitude 58.2°W which put it about 565 miles (910 km) south-southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland. Epsilon was moving toward the northeast at 22m.p.h. (35 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 95 m.p.h. (150 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 958 mb.