THE FIRST TROPICAL DEPRESSION OF THE 2006 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON DUMPED HEAVY RAIN ON CUBA ON SUNDAY AND COULD BECOME A TROPICAL STORM AS IT MOVES TOWARD THE UNITED STATES, U.S. FORECASTERS SAID, REUTERS REPORTED. THE DEPRESSION, WHICH WOULD BE GIVEN THE NAME ALBERTO IF ITS MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REACHED 39 MPH (63 KPH), HAD SHIFTED TO THE WEST IN THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS AND WAS LOCATED AROUND 335 MILES (540 KM) WEST-SOUTHWEST OF KEY WEST, FLORIDA, AND MOVING NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH (15 KPH) AT 5 A.M. (0900 GMT). ITS MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 35 MPH (55 KPH), THE U.S. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER SAID. IT WAS EXPECTED TO MOVE TO THE NORTHWEST OR NORTH-NORTHWEST IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS, ON A TRACK THAT COULD TAKE IT TO FLORIDA'S WEST COAST EARLY ON TUESDAY. THE WEATHER SYSTEM WAS EXPECTED TO DOUSE CUBA WITH 20 INCHES (51 CM) OR MORE OF RAIN. IT WAS THE SEASON'S FIRST WAKE-UP CALL TO COASTAL U.S. RESIDENTS BATTERED BY EIGHT HURRICANES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, INCLUDING HURRICANE KATRINA -- THE MOST COSTLY AND ONE OF THE DEADLIEST NATURAL DISASTERS IN U.S. HISTORY. FORECASTERS SAID THE DEPRESSION COULD BECOME A TROPICAL STORM LATER ON SUNDAY. FLORIDA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS HAD PUT RESPONDERS ON HEIGHTENED ALERT BY ACTIVATING THE STATE'S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER TO MONITOR THE COMING STORM. TROPICAL STORMS CAN CAUSE DEADLY FLOODS IN LOW-LYING AREAS AND DESTROY RAMSHACKLE BUILDINGS IN POOR COUNTRIES. THEY DO NOT PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO DEVELOPED NATIONS. WHEN THEIR MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REACH 74 MPH (119 KPH),THEY BECOME HURRICANES AND THE POSSIBILITY OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION INCREASES. FORECASTERS HAVE PREDICTED THAT 2006 WILL SEE MORE STORMS AND HURRICANES IN THE ATLANTIC THAN AN AVERAGE SEASON. LAST YEAR, A RECORD 28 TROPICAL CYCLONES SPAWNED 15 HURRICANES, INCLUDING MONSTER STORMS LIKE KATRINA, WHICH FLOODED NEW ORLEANS, KILLED MORE THAN 1,300 PEOPLE AND CAUSED $80 BILLION IN DAMAGE.
