Tropical Storm Amanda strengthened a little on Thursday as it continued to spin over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean far to the southwest of Baja California. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Amanda was located at latitude 12.7°N and longitude 131.1°W which put the center about 1560 miles (2510 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Amanda was moving toward the west-northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.
Even though Tropical Storm Amanda strengthened a little on Thursday, the distribution of thunderstorms in Amanda continued to be asymmetrical. Thunderstorms were occurring mainly in bands in the western half of Amanda’s circulation. Bands in the eastern half of Tropical Storm Amanda consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of 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 45 miles (75 km) from the center of Amanda’s circulation.
Tropical Storm Amanda will move through an environment marginally 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 southeasterly 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 may not be enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Storm Amanda could intensify a little more during the next 24 hours. Amanda will move into a region where the upper level winds are stronger and where there will be more vertical wind shear during the weekend. Tropical Storm Amanda will start to weaken when the vertical wind shear in creases.
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 west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Amanda will remain far to the southwest of Baja California.
