Distant Tropical Threat on GOP Convention Radar

Forecasters are keeping a wary eye on a tropical depression in the Atlantic Ocean that poses a potential threat to Florida during next week's Republican National Convention in Tampa.

National Hurricane Center computer models Tuesday predicted the depression would grow into a hurricane over the next few days. Some models had the storm striking Florida or passing close after moving across Cuba as early as Sunday.

Forecasters caution that long-range storm track predictions can be off by hundreds of miles. A hurricane hunter plane was scheduled to investigate the system Tuesday.

Thousands of Republicans will gather in Tampa next week to nominate Mitt Romney for president and Paul Ryan for vice president. GOP and Tampa officials say they have contingency plans in case a storm blows through.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)