Tropical Storm Gamma forms off Honduran coast - 18 November, 2005 - News

Tropical Storm Gamma formed Friday off the coast of Honduras, the 24th named storm of an already record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season.

The storm was expected to sweep along the coasts of Honduras, Belize and Mexico's southern Yucatan peninsula this weekend before heading toward Cuba's western tip and then southern Florida.

The storm wasn't expected to reach Florida until Monday afternoon.

Tropical storm warnings were issued for the coasts of Belize, southern Mexico and Honduras' Bay Islands.

Gamma is on roughly the same path as last month's Hurricane Wilma, which battered Cancun and Playa del Carmen and left thousands of tourists stranded for days.

However, Gamma was expected to turn east before hitting Cancun or Playa del Carmen.

The storm, which was poorly organized, had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was expected to slowly strengthen over the next day.

It could dump up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain.

The previous record of 21 named storms had stood since 1933, AP reported. V.A.