Tropical Depression Forms Far Off Mexico'S Pacific Coast

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Tropical depression forms far off Mexico's Pacific coast < br /> 2012-05-15 08:43:05 GMT+7 (ICT) MIAMI, FLORIDA (BNO NEWS) -- A tropical depression formed far off Mexico's Pacific coast on early Monday morning, making it the first tropical cyclone of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season, forecasters said. It is expected to strengthen but stay far from land.Forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) have been following the weather system since early Saturday when it emerged south-southwest of Acapulco, a major sea port on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. It slowly became better organized over the weekend and became a tropical depression on early Monday.As of 2 p.m. PDT (2100 GMT), the center of Tropical Depression One-E was located about 655 miles (1,050 kilometers) south-southwest of Manzanillo, a municipality in the Mexican state of Colima which is also home to the country's busiest port. It is moving toward the west at a speed near 8 miles (13 kilometers) per hour.Maximum sustained winds of One-E have increased to near 35 miles (55 kilometers) per hour, with higher gusts, bringing it near tropical storm strength. The depression is expected to continue to strengthen on Monday and become a tropical storm by either Monday evening or early Tuesday."Satellite imagery indicates that the depression is becoming better organized," said NHC hurricane specialist Todd Kimberlain. "The depression has a narrow window of opportunity during the next 24-36 hours to intensify. After that time, global models indicate that an upper-level trough will pass north of the tropical cyclone, accompanied by a considerable increase in westerly vertical wind shear."The increasing shear is expected to weaken the weather system, then likely Tropical Storm Aletta, after which the storm is likely to degenerate into a remnant low by the end of the week. It will remain far from land throughout the entire forecast, moving westward as a result of a well-defined mid-tropospheric ridge over the subtropical Eastern Pacific.Tropical Depression One-E is the first tropical cyclone of the 2012 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, which was officially due to start on Tuesday. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is expected to release a detailed forecast for this year's hurricane seasons later this week.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.

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