Tropical Storm Dolores formed south of Mexico on Friday morning and the government of Mexico issued warnings and watches for portions of the coast. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Dolores was located at latitude 14.7°N and longitude 102.5°W which put it about 320 miles (515 km) south-southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico. Dolores was moving toward the west-northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 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 1004 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was issued for the portion of the coast from Punta San Telmo to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Lazaro Cardenas to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. A Tropical Storm Watch was issued for the portion of the coast from Cabo Corrientes to Escuinapa, Mexico.

The circulation around a low pressure system south of Mexico strengthened on Friday morning and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Dolores. Dolores exhibited increasing organization on conventional and microwave satellite imagery. Several bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of circulation. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 35 miles (55 km) from the center of Dolores.

Tropical Storm Dolores will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Dolores will move over an area where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge over southern Mexico and the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The ridge will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Tropical Storm Dolores. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Storm Dolores will intensify during the next 24 hours and it could strengthen to a hurricane on Saturday.

Tropical Storm Dolores will move around the western end of a small high pressure system over southern Mexico. The high pressure system will steer Dolores toward the north-northwest during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Dolores could approach the coast of Mexico between Manzanillo and Cabo Corrientes on Saturday. Dolores could be a hurricane when it approaches the coast. Bands on the northern side of Tropical Storm Dolores could drop heavy rain on parts of Colima and Jalisco. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.