A core circulation organized quickly on Tuesday inside Tropical Depression 22E and it intensified into Tropical Storm Sandra.  At 4:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Sandra was located at latitude 11.9°N and longitude 107.2°W which put it about 780 miles south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California.  Sandra was moving toward the west-northwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 997 mb.

Eastern upper level winds which were blowing over the top of Tropical Depression 22E diminished on Tuesday and the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Sandra.  A primary rainband wrapped around the center of circulation  and an inner core developed near the interior end of the band.  As the band wrapped around the center of circulation a ring of thunderstorms began to take on the structure of an eyewall.  Those thunderstorms also started to generate some upper level divergence.  The circulation of Sandra is still organizing and other spiral bands are starting to form.

Tropical Storm Sandra is in an environment that is favorable for intensification.  It is over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  Although there is still some vertical wind shear, it is much less than it was on Monday.  A combination of very warm water and little vertical wind shear could allow Sandra to intensify very quickly.  It is likely to become a hurricane with 12 to 18 hours and it could become a major hurricane within 24 to 36 hours.  In a couple of days Sandra will start to encounter strong upper level winds from the southwest.  The increased vertical wind shear at that time will cause it to weaken.

Tropical Storm Sandra is starting to move around the western end of a subtropical ridge that has been steering toward the north.  Sandra should gradually turn toward the north during the next 24 hours.  It is likely to move mainly toward the north until Thursday when southwesterly winds will turn it toward the northeast.  Sandra could be approaching the southern tip of Baja California by Friday night.