Former Tropical Depression Seventeen-E strengthened to Tropical Storm Rick on Friday afternoon and the government of Mexico issued a Hurricane Watch and Tropical Storm Watches for portions of the coast. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Rick was located at latitude 13.1°N and longitude 101.0°W which put it about 460 miles (745 km) south-southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico. Rick was moving toward the west-northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 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.

A Hurricane Watch was issued for the portion of the coast from Zihuatenajo to Punta San Telmo, Mexico. Tropical Storm Watches were issued for the portions of the coast from Punta San Telmo to Manzanillo and from Zihuatenajo to Tecpan de Galeana, Mexico.

The circulation around former Tropical Depression Seventeen-E strengthened on Friday afternoon and the National Hurricane Center upgraded the system to Tropical Storm Rick. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the western and southern sides of the center of Tropical Storm Rick. Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of circulation. Storms near the center generated upped level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) in the northern half of Tropical Storm Rick. The winds in the southern half of the circulation were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Rick will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Rick will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Storm Rick will continue to intensify steadily during the next 36 hours. Rick could strengthen to a hurricane on Saturday.

Tropical Storm Rick will move around the southern part of a high pressure system over Mexico during the next few hours. A large upper level trough approaching the west coast of the U.S. will cause the high pressure system to weaken during the weekend. When the high pressure system weakens, the southern part of the upper level trough will turn Rick toward the north-northwest. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Rick could approach the west coast of Mexico by later on Sunday. Rick could be a hurricane when it approaches the coast of Mexico. The Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches are likely to be changed to warnings on Saturday.