Tropical Storm Norbert Forms

A center of circulation developed within a trough of low pressure southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico and the National Hurricane Center classified it as Tropical Storm Norbert.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT the center of Tropical Storm Norbert was located at latitude 18.5°N and longitude 106.5°W which put it about 150 miles west-southwest of Manzanillo and about 375 miles south of the southern tip of Baja California.  Norbert was moving toward the north at 9 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. and the minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.  The government of Mexico has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Baja California Sur from La Paz, around the southern tip of Baja California to Santa Fe.

Although there is some northeasterly shear over Norbert, the tropical storm is expected to intensify and at least one numerical model is predicting that it will become a hurricane.  Since Norbert is still in the organization stage, the track forecast has a higher than normal degree of uncertainty.  Many models are predicting that Norbert will move toward Baja California, but turn west-northwest before the storm reaches the coast.  The government of Mexico issued a Tropical Storm Watch for a portion in the coast in case Norbert moves closer to the coast than is currently expected.