Tropical Depression Forms in Gulf of Mexico

A tropical depression formed on Tuesday in the southwest Gulf of Mexico, forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The forecasters said they would issue a special advisory "within the next hour or so" on the disturbance."

Computers models did not indicate that the system could develop into a hurricane, which would bring winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph), and most showed it heading into central Mexico after drifting aimlessly for a couple of days.

The main U.S. and Mexican oil production areas in the Gulf did not appear to be at risk.

Forecasters also were watching Tropical Storm Karen, which swirled in the Atlantic Ocean about 1,430 miles (2,305 km) east of the Windward Islands of the Caribbean but was not expected to threaten land.