Scientists keep an eye on Ernesto

Friday, August 25, 2006 MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS MIAMI — A tropical depression soon to become Tropical Storm Ernesto could require close monitoring by residents of Jamaica and Cuba, forecasters said. It posed no immediate threat to South Florida, though any system that develops in that region should be watched. "Any time there is a developing system southeast of us during the peak of the hurricane season, we need to watch it," said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center in West Miami-Dade County. Tropical Depression 5 formed Thursday near the outer ring of Caribbean islands, bringing strong squalls to residents of Grenada, Barbados and St. Vincent and other islands. Long-range forecast Initial long-range forecasts, subject to wide margins of error, suggested that the storm would track through the Caribbean and possibly into the Gulf of Mexico. That could make it an issue for residents of Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands by Sunday, and still undetermined areas to the north or west by Tuesday. Forecasters cautioned Floridians against drawing premature conclusions, but they noted that — after a relatively slow start — the hurricane season was beginning to heat up right on schedule. Much farther out to sea, Tropical Storm Debby remained a threat only to ships in the distant Atlantic Ocean. Debby could become a hurricane by Saturday, but it was not expected to reach any land masses.