Tropical Depression 2E intensified into Tropical Storm Agatha on Saturday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Agatha was located at latitude 15.6°N and longitude 118.9°W which put it about 775 miles (1245 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Agatha was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

The upper level winds blowing over the top to Tropical Depression 2E weakened and the vertical wind shear decreased.  Less vertical wind shear allowed thunderstorms on the northwestern side of the circulation to wrap around the southern side of the center.  With the center of circulation embedded near the main area of thunderstorms the National Hurricane Center named the system Tropical Storm Agatha.  Agatha is a small system and tropical storm force winds only extend out about 45 miles (75 km) from the center.

Agatha has a limited period in which to intensify further.  It is currently moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is near 28°C.  However, Agatha is moving toward cooler SSTs where there will be less energy to drive the circulation.  In addition, there is much drier air north and west of the tropical storm.  Since there is little vertical wind shear, Agatha could intensify during the next 12 to 24 hours.  It will start to weaken when it moves over the cooler SSTs.

A ridge of high pressure north of Agatha is steering the tropical storm toward the east-northwest and that general motion is expected to continue for another day or two.  Agatha currently poses no threat to land.

Agatha was named on July 2.  This is the latest date for the naming of the first tropical storm over the Eastern North Pacific since Ava was named in 1969.