KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is advising that a tropical depression could form in the Atlantic during the latter half of this week. The NOAA says an area of low pressure located a few hundred miles south of the Cabo Verde Islands is producing disorganised showers and thunderstorms. As this system moves slowly westward, a tropical wave currently over west Africa is expected to merge with it in a couple of days. Environmental conditions are forecast to be more conducive for development by midweek, and a tropical depression could form during the latter half of this week while the system moves westward to west-northwestward across the central tropical Atlantic. Formation chance through 48 hours is low at 20 per cent but formation chance through seven days is medium at 60 per cent.