Hours away from the first Atlantic Hurricane of 2009

The hurricane season is getting a late start this year compared to last. By this time last year, there were already five named storms in the Atlantic basin.

SHOOT: Tropical depression 2 is moving west at a sedate 9mph. Pletny of time to warm up. Right behind it is another system that looks set to become more organised.

clipped from www.nhc.noaa.gov clipped from in.reuters.com NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Atlantic Ocean could still see its first named storm of the hurricane season this week as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa gains strength. The energy market is focused on the tropical wave, located about 250 miles (400 km) south-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands, which has the potential for significant development as it marches across the Atlantic at 10 to 15 miles per hour during the next two weeks. AccuWeather.com said the system could become a "strong hurricane" next week and could "pose a significant threat" to the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine late next week. The U.S. National Hurricane Center gave the wave a medium chance -- 30 percent to 50 percent -- of becoming a tropical depression over the next 48 hours. Another system, Tropical Depression Two, weakened overnight. It was located about 840 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds just near 30 mph.