Former Tropical Depression One-E strengthened to Tropical Storm Amanda far to the southwest of Baja California on Wednesday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Amanda was located at latitude 10.6°N and longitude 128.2°W which put the center about 1475 miles (2375 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Amanda was moving toward the northwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 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.
Former Tropical Depression One-E strengthened far to the southwest of Baja California on Wednesday morning and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Amanda.
More thunderstorms formed just to the west of the center of Tropical Storm Amanda on Wednesday morning. Other thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern and western parts of Amanda’s circulation. Bands in the southern and eastern parts of Tropical Storm Amanda still consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of Tropical Storm Amanda generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north of the tropical storm. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease slowly.
The circulation around Tropical Storm Amanda was small. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) in the northern half of Amanda’s circulation. The winds in the southern half of Tropical Storm Amanda were blowing at less than tropical storm force.
Tropical Storm Amanda will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Amanda will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge that is west of Mexico. The upper level ridge will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Amanda’s circulation. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Storm Amanda will intensify during the next 24 hours.
Tropical Storm Amanda will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system that is over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Amanda slowly toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Amanda will remain far to the southwest of Baja California during the next few days.
