Former Tropical Storm Barbara intensified to a hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico on Monday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Barbara was located at latitude 17.6°N and longitude 106.1°W which put the center about 155 miles (245 km) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.  Barbara was moving toward the northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 991 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Barbara intensified to a hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico on Monday morning.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the southern and eastern side of the center of Barbara’s circulation.  Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Barbara.  Storms near the center of Barbara generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The circulation around Hurricane Barbara was small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) from the center of Barbara’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of Hurricane Barbara.

Hurricane Barbara will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours.  Barbara will move over water where where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 27°C.  It will move under the middle part of an upper level ridge over Mexico and the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.  The upper level winds are weak near the middle of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Barbara could continue to intensify during the next 12 hours.  Barbara will move over cooler water by Tuesday which will cause it to start to weaken.

Hurricane Barbara will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over Mexico.  The high pressure system will steer Barbara toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Hurricane Barbara will move closer to the southern end of Baja California.

Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Cosme was also intensifying.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Cosme was located at latitude 14.5°N and longitude 113.3°W which put the center about 620 miles (1000 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Cosme was moving toward the west-northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 994 mb.