Former Hurricane Lorena weakened to a tropical storm over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Baja California on Thursday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Lorena was located at latitude 24.2°N and longitude 114.2°W which put the center about 125 miles (200 km) west-southwest of Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico.  Lorena was moving toward the northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 991 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Puerto Cortes to Punta Eugenia, Mexico.

Former Hurricane Lorena weakened to a tropical storm over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean southwest of Baja California on Thursday morning.  A upper level trough that is west of Baja California was producing southwesterly winds that were blowing toward the top of Lorena’s circulation.  Those winds were causing strong vertical wind shear.  The strong wind shear was pushing the middle and upper parts of Tropical Storm Lorena to the northeast of the surface circulation.  Thunderstorms were still occurring in bands in the northeastern part of Lorena’s circulation.  Bands in the other parts of Lorena consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Lorena was small.  Winds to tropical storm force extended  out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Lorena’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Lorena will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Lorena will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 24°C.  The upper level trough that is west of Baja California will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear.  The combination of cool Sea Surface Temperatures and strong vertical wind shear will cause Tropical Storm Lorena to weaken steadily during the next 24 hours.

The strong vertical wind shear is likely to separate the lower portion of Tropical Storm Lorena from the middle and upper parts of Lorena’s circulation.  The lower portion of Lorena’s circulation could meander west of Baja California.  The middle and upper parts of Tropical Storm Lorena will be steered toward the northeast by the upper level trough that is west of Baja California.

The middle and upper parts of Tropical Storm Lorena will move across Baja California, over Sonora, and toward New Mexico and southeastern Arizona.  The middle and upper parts of Lorena’s circulation will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to those areas.  The strongest winds will occur in mountainous regions.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.

Elsewhere, Hurricane Kiko continued to churn slowly toward Hawaii.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Kiko was located at latitude 13.8°N and longitude 133.7°W which put the center about 1470 miles (2365 km) east-southeast of Hilo Hawaii.  Kiko was moving toward the west at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 951 mb.