Hurricane Adrian Strengthens - Remains at Sea

Early this morning the center of Hurricane Adrian was located about 275 miles South/Southwest of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and moving West/Northwest at 12 mph.  Maximum sustained winds were 90 mph.

The latest forecast continues to largely keep the system at sea for the next few days, as shown by the latest NHC forecast image below:

Very heavy surf and higher than normal tides can be expected along adjacent portions of the Mexican coast through the weekend.  

Adrian is forecast to slowly strengthen over the next 2 days, and could become a major hurricane sometime Friday.

For additional updates, please see the NHC page on Adrian here.

First Tropical Depression of Season forms In Pacific

The first Tropical Depression of the 2011 season formed today in the Pacific.  At 4pm CDT this afternoon, the center of the depression was located about 360 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico.  Maximum sustained winds are currently 35 mph, and the depression is moving West/Northwest at about 3 mph.

The system is forecast to gradually strengthen as it moves in a general Northwestward direction over the next few days.  It is currently forecast to reach Tropical Storm strength sometime tomorrow morning (at which time it will be called "Adrian") and is expected to reach Hurricane strength by Thursday morning.

Fortunately, at this time it appears that the strongest part of the system will largely remain offshore along the Mexican coast, as indicated in the latest forecast track map from the NHC below:

Higher than normal surf and dangerous rip tides can be expected along the coast of Mexico for the next several days.