Tropical depression number 20 formed this Wednesday in the eastern tropical Atlantic, and forecasts indicate that it could be a named storm (Victor) today and a hurricane in a couple of days, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

At 3:00 p.m. GMT, the depression was about 535 miles (860 km) south of the Cape Verde Islands and exhibited maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour (55 km/h).

It is moving in a west-northwest direction at 14 miles per hour (22 km/h), and this trajectory and development are expected to continue for the next several days, followed by a turn to the northeast.

The maximum sustained winds will continue to strengthen, and the tropical depression is expected to become a tropical storm tonight and a hurricane in a couple of days.

The NHC indicated that there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect for this tropical depression, which for now does not pose a danger to land, as in the case of Hurricane Sam, a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale (from 1 to 5), which it is moving northwest to the east of the Leeward Islands.

The mighty Sam is not predicted to make landfall, at least on the NHC-predicted trajectory.

The storm surges generated by Sam are set to impact the Lesser Antilles over the next few days. They are expected to reach Bermuda and the Bahamas in a couple of days and then spread across the east coast of the United States later this week.

These swells can cause life-threatening rip and current conditions, according to the NHC.

So far this year, seven hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic basin: Elsa, Grace, Henri, Ida, Larry, Nicholas, and Sam. Grace, Ida, Larry, and Sam reached a higher category, 3 or more on the Saffir-Simpson scale.