 Upon being classified as a tropical cyclone , the depression was embedded within a deep easterly steering current provided by a ridge to its north . Expected to track across sea surface temperatures greater than 82 ° F ( 28 ° C ) , the cyclone was forecast to gradually strengthen and within four days attain hurricane status ; the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory predicted the depression to reach Category 4 status on the Saffir @-@ Simpson Hurricane Scale within three days . Increased northeasterly wind shear shifted the center to the northeastern edge of the deep convection , and despite the shear and its relatively low latitude of 9 @.@ 7 ° N , the depression strengthened to attain tropical storm status early on September 3 ; upon reaching the intensity , the National Hurricane Center classified the system as Tropical Storm Ivan . 
