A low level circulation organized in a large area of thunderstorms south of Acapulco, Mexico on Sunday and the system was classified as Tropical Storm Dolores.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Dolores was located at latitude 15.6°N and longitude 102.1°W which put it about 145 miles (230 km) south-southwest of Zihuatanejo, Mexico and about 295 miles (475 km) southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico.  Dolores was moving toward the northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 55 m.p.h. (90 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.  The government of Mexico has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the portion of the coast from Lazaro Cardenas to Cabo Corrientes.

The circulation around Dolores is not particularly well organized.  Most of the strong thunderstorms are occurring in the eastern half of the circulation.  There are few thunderstorms in the southwestern part of the tropical storm.  Upper level winds are light over Dolores and the tropical storm is producing strong upper level divergence which is pumping out mass.  Dolores is over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C and there is plenty of energy in the upper ocean to support intensification.  Dolores is close enough to Mexico that it could be pulling in some drier air from land, which may be inhibiting intensification at this time.  The environmental factors would support intensification and rapid intensification may be possible if Dolores moves farther away from the coast of Mexico.

A strong mid-level ridge over Texas and Mexico is steering Dolores toward the west-northwest.  That general steering pattern is expected to continue for the next few days.  On its anticipated track the center of Dolores is forecast to stay west of the coast of Mexico.  However, the proximity of Dolores to the coast prompted the issuance of a Tropical Storm Watch for a portion of the coast.