
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 1, 1993                   TAG: 9306010102
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: MIAMI                                LENGTH: Short

HURRICANE SEASON'S 1ST STORM IS EARLY

The 1993 Atlantic hurricane season's first tropical depression formed Monday in the northwest Caribbean, and forecasters said it could bring nearly a foot of rain to parts of Florida.

The disturbance has already brought two days of rain to Cuba and south Florida. Its top winds of 30 mph were not expected to strengthen.

The first tropical depression arrived slightly ahead of schedule - the hurricane season officially starts Tuesday.

Max Mayfield, a forecaster at the National Hurricane Center in suburban Coral Gables, said the system will be named Arlene if its winds reach tropical storm strength - sustained winds of at least 39 mph.

The depression formed from a broad, low-pressure disturbance in the extreme northwest Caribbean. The depression already had dropped up to 6 inches of rain in parts of south Dade County, but Mayfield said the suburban Miami area flattened last Aug. 24 by Hurricane Andrew was not about to get another walloping from nature.

The Atlantic Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30. - Associated Press

by CNB