Tropical Storm John Rapidly Intensifies South of Mexico

Tropical Storm John rapidly intensified over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Mexico on Monday morning.  A Hurricane Warning was issued for a portion of the coast of Mexico.  At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm John was located at latitude 14.5°N and longitude 98.5°W which put the center about 125 miles (200 km) south of Punta Maldonado, Mexico.  John was moving toward the north-northeast at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 994 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Punta Maldonado to Bahias de Huatulco, Mexico.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Bahias de Huatulco to Salina Cruz, Mexico.

Former Tropical Depression Ten-E rapidly intensified to Tropical Storm John on Monday morning.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of John’s circulation and a small eye was forming at the center of Tropical Storm John.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Tropical Storm John.  Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.

The circulation around Tropical Storm John was small.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 35 miles (55 km) from the center of John’s circulation.

Tropical Storm John will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  John will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will be in a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm John will intensify during the next 24 hours.  John is likely to strengthen to a hurricane.

Tropical Storm John will move around the southeastern part of a large counterclockwise circulation over southern Mexico sometimes called a Central American Gyre (CAG).  The large counterclockwise circulation will steer John slowly toward the northeast during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm John will approach the coast of Mexico on Tuesday.

Tropical Storm John is likely to be a hurricane when it approaches the coast of Mexico.  John will bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of southern Mexico.  Very heavy rain is likely to fall in Chiapas, Oaxaca, and southeast Guerrero.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.  Tropical Storm John also could cause a storm surge of 8 feet (2,4 meters) along parts of the coast.