Weather Service says storm in Gulf could become tropical depression

A cluster of rain and cloudiness in the Gulf of Mexico caught the eye of the National Hurricane Center, which said it could morph into a tropical depression by the middle of next week.

The prediction, which came Saturday, gave the storm a 40% of developing into a tropical depression within five days, and a 10 percent chance of evolving within two days.

As of 2 p.m. Saturday, the storm was nestled in the Bay of Campeche, just east of Mexico City.

“Regardless of development, due to the slow motion heavy rainfall is possible over portions of Central America and southern Mexico,” the Weather Service said.

If the storm develops, it would be the second named storm of the season. Tropical Storm Ana had already developed and dissipated in the Atlantic, several hundred miles from Bermuda.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a busy hurricane season this year, estimating between 13 and

20 named storms. The next storm would be named Bill.

Hurricane season began on June 1 and goes until Nov.

30.