Storm intensifies, but expected to turn out to sea

The tropical wave that the National Hurricane Center was tracking near the Windward Islands intensified as expected into Tropical Depression 17. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting the storm to curve away from its northwesterly track to a northeasterly track - a track that would take it far out into the mid-Atlantic. The turn will take place in the next 24 hours. The storm is expected to intensify into Tropical Storm Otto by that time, but it is not expected be a threat to the East Coast.