Charley began as a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on August 4.^[3] It moved quickly westward and steadily organized over the open Atlantic Ocean, with convection developing in curved bands.^[3] The wave continued to develop as it approached the Lesser Antilles, and became Tropical Depression Three on August 9 while 115 mi (185 km) south-southeast of Barbados, near the island of Grenada, however, the threat to Barbados was short-lived.^[3][6] Low upper-level wind shear and well-defined outflow contributed to further intensification, and the depression strengthened on August 10, despite being located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, which is an area not particularly suited to tropical cyclogenesis.^[4] At this time, the National Hurricane Center in Miami designated the name “Charley.”^[3]