A body of stormy weather, Tropical Depression Eight, was expected to pass about 200 miles east of Bermuda as of 6am today, with a chance of developing overnight into Tropical Storm Henri.

The depression, ranked as a potential threat by the Bermuda Weather Service, last night packed maximum winds of 35mph (55km/h) and was expected to strengthen as it headed north.

As of 6pm yesterday, Tropical Depression Eight lay 285 miles east-southeast of the Island. It formed early yesterday morning, and was initially stationary before picking up momentum. The Island is predicted to receive a few showers in the meantime, with wetter weather likely this weekend as a trough coming in from the west pushes the depression northward and brings more rain.

Depressions, which have the capacity to grow ultimately into hurricanes, are so-called because they are organised bodies of low pressure containing clouds and thunderstorms.

They lack the characteristic central eye seen in bigger storms, when the classic cyclone formation also begins to appear.