(TWC) – Tropical Depression Fifteen formed on Monday near the western coast of Africa in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean, a region where tropical cyclone formation is very rare this time of year. This tropical depression moved near the northeasternmost of the Cabo Verde Islands, Sal, on Tuesday evening and dissipated Wednesday morning. Tropical development in October and November is most likely to occur west of 40 degrees west longitude. Development is most likely in parts of the western Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico to the western Atlantic Ocean.
For reference, the far eastern portion of the yellow area in the North Atlantic part of the map below is very near 40 degrees west longitude. Since 1851, just 10 tropical depressions or storms have formed near or east of 40 degrees west longitude for the nearly seven weeks spanning Oct. 11 through Nov. 30, according to historical records from the NHC (this does not include newly formed Tropical Depression Fifteen). As you can see below, the location where Tropical Depression Fifteen formed on Monday is significantly farther east than the red dots depicting the origin points for those 10 other tropical cyclones. READ MORE
