Tropical Storm Gordon forms in deep Atlantic and appears likely to stay there

Tropical Storm Gordon formed Friday in the deep Atlantic Ocean, and while it was expected to slightly strengthen over the next few days, it appears to pose no threat to land.

At 11 a.m., Gordon become a minimal tropical storm with 40 mph sustained winds. By Friday evening, the storm was nearly 1,000 miles west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands and expected to meander gradually to the west.

Because it is in the open ocean, there were no watches or warnings. Computer models suggest it could remain in the Atlantic for the next week before eventually weakening.

It’s the seventh named storm of the hurricane season and was one of three systems that forecasters were monitoring as the hurricane season enters its historic peak. One dissipated. And by the 8 p.m. advisory, the other had a 40% chance of developing in the next week. It is off the Southeast coast and is expected to move northwest toward land.

It could strengthen into a subtropical or tropical depression by early next week.