Tropical Storm Adrian forms south of Acapulco, Mexico; forecast to become hurricane

2011-06-08 10:09:17 GMT+7 (ICT)

MIAMI (BNO NEWS) -- Tropical Storm Adrian formed in the East Pacific Ocean on Tuesday evening, making it the first named storm of the 2011 Eastern North Pacific Hurricane season, forecasters said.

Forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) have been following the low pressure area since last week and the system finally developed into a tropical depression on Tuesday morning. It strengthened into a tropical storm by Tuesday evening.

As of 8 p.m. PDT (0300 GMT Wednesday), the center of tropical storm Adrian was located about 355 miles (570 kilometers) south of Acapulco, a major sea port on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. It is moving towards the west-northwest at a speed of about 3 miles (6 kilometers) per hour.

"Adrian has not been moving very much during the past several hours," said NHC hurricane specialist Eric Blake. "The cyclone is caught in an area of light steering currents between a ridge over northwestern Mexico and a trough over the Gulf of Mexico. This change in steering should result in Adrian turning toward the west-northwest with an increase in forward speed."

As of Tuesday evening, Adrian has maximum sustained winds near 45 miles (75 kilometers) per hour, with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 kilometers) from the center, not affecting any land.

Blake said the environment around Adrian is favorable for rapid intensification during the next few days, and Adrian will likely become a category one hurricane by Wednesday afternoon. There is a small chance it could then grow into a category two hurricane by Friday.

"In about three days, Adrian should be over cooler waters and embedded within a more stable environment, resulting in a gradual weakening beyond this time," Blake said. NHC models show Adrian would likely weaken back to a tropical storm by late Sunday.

For now, Adrian poses no immediate threat to land although it will move slightly closer towards the Pacific coast of Mexico. Forecasts later in the week will determine with more certainty whether there is any threat at all to Mexico.

According to figures released in May, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is expecting a below normal hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific this year. The outlook calls for 9 to 15 named storms, with five to eight becoming hurricanes and one to three expected to become a major hurricane (category 3 or higher).

An average Eastern Pacific hurricane season produces 15 to 16 named storms, with eight to nine becoming hurricanes and four becoming major hurricanes. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30, with peak activity from July through September.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-08

So what's this have to do with Thailand? It's hurricane season now...they'll be getting lots of them.

So what's this have to do with Thailand? It's hurricane season now...they'll be getting lots of them.

Er, its on the world news forum?

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<br />So what's this have to do with Thailand?  It's hurricane season now...they'll be getting lots of them.<br />

<br /><br />Er, its on the world news forum?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Ooops! Forgot about that forum....my apologies.