causing high winds between here and the Caribbean.

Tropical depression No. 8 is seen as a potential threat to the Island -- but only if it veers off its present course.

Forecaster at US Naval Oceanography Command Petty Officer Caryn Panowicz said that it was unlikely that Bermuda will experience any problems over the next couple of days.

The depression is travelling in an arc towards the United States, southwest of the Island.

Petty Officer Panowicz said: "So far it is predicted that it will reach a medium tropical storm, with winds reaching 34 knots.

"In Bermuda we will probably experience winds around 15-20 knots, but that is more likely to be from a front that is coming later.

"The depression is so far away that unless there is a distinct change it does not look as thought it will affect Bermuda.'' Meanwhile, another tropical depression, the seventh of the season, hung off the eastern edge of the Caribbean. Forecasters said winds coming out of the west were expected to kill it off in the next few days as it moved northward, into open water.

At 6 p.m., the tropical depression was near 15.3 north latitude and 46.4 west longitude, or about 1,000 miles east of the Leeward Islands. It had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and was moving northwest at 13 mph.