Tropical Storm Marie formed south of Baja California on Tuesday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Marie was located at latitude 13.6°N and longitude 109.5°W which put it about 645 miles (1035 km) south of the southern tip of Baja California.  Marie was moving toward the west 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.

More thunderstorms developed near the center of a small low pressure system south of Baja California on Tuesday afternoon and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Marie.  The circulation around Marie was still organizing.  More thunderstorms were forming around the center of Tropical Storm Marie.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were also developing and the bands were revolving around the center of the tropical storm.  Storms near the center of Marie started to generate upper level divergence which began to pump mass away to the west of the tropical storm.  The circulation around the Tropical Storm Marie was small.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Marie will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next two to three days.  Marie will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Marie could intensify into a hurricane within 36 hours.  Marie could strengthen more rapidly once an inner core with an eye and an eyewall forms.  Tropical Storm Marie could intensify into a major hurricane later this week.

Tropical Storm Marie will move south of a ridge of high pressure over the southwestern U.S.  The high will steer Marie toward the west-northwest during the next several days.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Marie will move farther away from Baja California.