almost 1,500 nautical miles away from the Island.

The weather system, which will be known as Irene should it gain enough strength to become a tropical storm, was located at 15.5 degrees north, 46.1 degrees west at 6 p.m. yesterday.

These coordinates put it 1,474 nautical miles to the southeast of Bermuda and last night it was travelling west-northwest at a speed of four knots.

The depression had maximum sustained winds at 30 knots, with gusts of 40 knots, and was expected to grow stronger.

As of 3 p.m. this Saturday, the storm is estimated to have maximum sustained winds of 50 knots with gusts up to 60 knots.

At that time the storm is expected to be 1,056 nautical miles southeast of the Island -- a position marked by coordinates 19 degrees north, 52.5 degrees west.

WEATHER WEA