Tropical Depression No. 28 forms, expected to strengthen

ORLANDO, Fla. – Tropical Depression No. 28 formed Saturday, and is expected to strengthen, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of Saturday night, the center of the tropical depression was about 240 miles south-southeast of the western tip of Cuba. Forecasters said maximum sustained winds were near 35 mph with higher gusts.

The system is expected to become a tropical storm Sunday morning and could become a hurricane by early Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

[RELATED: These are the top 3 factors for hurricane development | Hurricanes: Can’t we just nuke them? (Spoiler alert: No)]

The center of the cyclone is forecast to pass south of western Cuba early Monday and move near or over the northern Yucatan Peninsula or Yucatan Channel late Monday, move into the southern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and reach the central Gulf of Mexico by late Tuesday, forecasters said.

The government of Cuba issued a tropical storm warning for the province of Pinar del Rio, and the government of Mexico issued a tropical storm watch for the Yucatan Peninsula from Tulum to Rio Lagartos, including Cozumel, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Central Florida is not expected to be in the path of the storm, but it will bring more rain across the Florida Peninsula.

RELATED: Weekend weather: Mostly dry inland, stormy on the Space Coast

Western Cuba, the Florida Keys and Yucatan should monitor this system closely, according to the NHC.

Meanwhile, a weakened Hurricane Epsilon is moving northeastward over the Atlantic Ocean, a day after skirting well east of Bermuda.

As of Saturday night, the center of Cat. 1 Hurricane Epsilon is 785 miles northeast of Bermuda, moving toward the northeast at 24 mph. Forecasters said gradual weakening is possible through the weekend, but Epsilon is expected to remain a large and powerful system after it becomes post-tropical Sunday.