Monday September 4, 2006 4:01 AM

MIAMI (AP) - A tropical depression formed Sunday over the open Atlantic, and meteorologists said it was forecast to become the next tropical storm of the 2006 hurricane season on Monday.

The depression was located about 1,395 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, according to the National Hurricane Center.

At 11 p.m. EDT, the sixth depression of the season had top sustained winds near 35 mph and was moving toward the northwest near 12 mph, forecasters said.

The depression would be named Florence if it reaches tropical storm strength with winds of at least 39 mph.

It comes on the heels of Tropical Storm Ernesto, which was briefly the season’s first hurricane. Monday September 4, 2006 4:01 AM

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