 By 1500 UTC on October 22, surface observations and satellite imagery indicated the system had developed enough organized convection to be classified as Tropical Depression Eighteen.At the time of the upgrade, the system was situated about 320 mi (515 km) south of Kingston, Jamaica The environment around the newly formed depression was characterized by an area of weak steering currents south of a ridge extending eastward from the Gulf of Mexico.Low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures were conducive for strengthening, and perhaps rapid deepening.