Tropical Storm Octave formed over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean on Thursday evening.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Octave was located at latitude 9.8°N and longitude 127.2°W which put it about 1455 miles (2345 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Octave was moving toward the west at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.

More thunderstorms formed near the center of a small low pressure system between Mexico and Hawaii and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Octave.  The circulation around Octave exhibited more organization and tropical characteristics on Thursday evening.  There was a distinct low level center of circulation with thunderstorms.  Several bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center.  Storms near the center generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The circulation around Tropical Storm Octave was small.  Winds to tropical storm force only extended out 35 miles (55 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Octave will move through an environment mostly favorable for intensification.  Octave will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is 28°C.  It will be in a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  However, there appears to be drier air north of Tropical Storm Octave.  If the circulation pulls drier air into the core of Octave, then thunderstorms around the center would weaken which would make intensification unlikely.  Tropical Storm Octave could strengthen a little during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Storm Octave will be in a region where the winds at the steering level are weak.  Octave is forecast to move little during the next few days.  Because Tropical Storm Octave will not move much, it will remain well away from any land area.