Tropical Depression Four-C Forms in the Central Pacific

August 20,2015

• Tropical Depression Four-C formed in the central Pacific Ocean at 11 p.m. EDT Thursday (5 p.m. HST Thursday).
• At that time, Four-C was located about 540 miles west of Johnston Island, or about 900 miles south of Midway Island.
• The depression is forecast to strengthen into Tropical Storm Loke by Friday as it moves slowly north and eventually northwest.
• This new system is likely to be pulled in a general northward direction through the weekend, posing no threat to land over the next five days.

(MORE: Expert Analysis | Hurricane Central)

An infrared satellite image of newly formed Tropical Depression Four-C late Thursday evening.

Tropical Depression Four-C has formed in the central Pacific and is forecast to strengthen into Tropical Storm Loke within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Assuming Tropical Depression Three-C intensifies to become "Kilo," Four-C should also intensify to become Tropical Storm "Loke. If this scenario happens, Loke would be the fifth named storm to have formed in the central Pacific basin this season and the seventh to track through the basin this year.
Four-C poses no threat to land through this weekend. Weak steering currents should allow for the system to drift north and eventually take more of a northwest jog.
The system is expected to hover near the International Date Line. Should it pass west of this boundary, it would technically shift into the western Pacific.
Looking ahead, Four-C could potentially approach the Midway islands, but the earliest that would happen appears to be the middle of next week. A lot can change with forecast tracks and intensities by then.
(MORE: Twin Typhoons in the Pacific)
Stay tuned to The Weather Channel and check back with weather.com for updates on this system.

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