Tropical Storm Warning Issued for Mexico Due to Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven

The National Hurricane Center changed the designation of Invest 90L to Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven because of the need to issue a Tropical Storm Warning for portions of Mexico.  At 5: 00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven was located at latitude 15.6°N and longitude 82.0°W which put it about 90 miles (145 km) east-northeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios.  It was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1008 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the portion of the coast from Chetumal to Campeche, Mexico.  A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the portion of the coast from Belize City to the Belize/Mexico border.

A broad area of low pressure formed in a strong tropical wave over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.  There is not a well defined center of circulation within the broad area of low pressure.  Most of the thunderstorms are developing in the eastern half of the circulation.  There are few thunderstorms in the western half of the system.  The thunderstorms in the eastern half of the low are generating some upper level divergence which is pumping out mass to the east of the low.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven will move through a relatively favorable environment over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.  It will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is 30°C.  A small upper level trough to the west of the low is producing westerly winds which are causing moderate vertical wind shear.  The wind shear is probably the reason why most of the thunderstorms are in the eastern side of the circulation.  The upper trough is forecast to weaken and the shear is expected to diminish.  Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven could become a tropical storm over the northwestern Caribbean Sea, which is why the Tropical Storm Warning was issued.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven is being steered to the west-northwest by a subtropical high pressure system centered over the Atlantic Ocean.  That general motion is expected to continue for the next several days.  On its anticipated track Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven could reach the Yucatan Peninsula within 36 hours.  It could bring gusty winds and heavy rain when it moves over the Yucatan.  The system could restrengthen when it moves over the southern Gulf of Mexico.