Tropical Storm Rick expected to strengthen off Mexico coast

Tropical Storm Rick, the 17th named storm of a record-breaking 2015 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, formed Thursday morning several hundred miles off the coast of southwestern Mexico.

The storm, located about 340 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, was circulating 40 mph as it tracked northwest at 8 mph, National Hurricane Center meteorologists said. Tropical storm-force winds extended outward from its center up to 105 miles.

Rick is just the third tropical storm to form at this point in the season in the eastern North Pacific since reliable records began in the early 1970s, forecasters said.

Forecasters say that Rick has a short window to strengthen because west-southwesterly shear is forecast to increase on Saturday as the storm moves nearly parallel to the Mexican coast. Rick is expected to peak Friday with 50 mph winds before starting to weaken. It should be dissipated by early next week.

In addition to Rick, forecasters are monitoring an area of low pressure that is expected to form several hundred miles south or southwest of the Gulf of Tehuantepec this weekend. Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for tropical cyclone development and there is a 30 percent chance the weather system will form into a tropical cyclone by early next week as it tracks west-northwest.

In the Central Pacific, which is where Hawaii is located, tropical cyclone formation is not expected through Saturday afternoon, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu.

The Central Pacific and Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons continue through Nov. 30.

Get more hurricane-related content, including preparation tips, evacuation info and daily tropical weather updates, on our hurricane season page, sponsored by Clark Realty, at www.westhawaiitoday.com/hurricane-season-2015.