Tropical Storm Genevieve forms in Eastern Pacific

The seventh tropical depression of the Eastern Pacific Ocean formed and quickly ramped up to a tropical storm named "Genevieve." NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of the newborn storm being trailed by two other areas of developing low pressure to its east.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that Tropical Storm Genevieve was born on July 25 at 5 a.m. EDT. At that time, Genevieve had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph (65 kph). It was located near 12.2 north latitude and 134.4 west longitude, about 1,490 miles (2,400 km) east-southeast of South Point, Hawaii.

NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared picture of Genevieve on July 25 at 8 a.m. EDT. The bulk of the storm's clouds appeared to be pushed east of the center, indicating that westerly wind shear was affecting the storm. The GOES image also showed that Genevieve was being "followed" by two other developing areas of low pressure to the east of the storm.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES-West satellite captured this infrared picture on July 25 at 8 a.m. EDT of Tropical Storm Genevieve (left) followed to the east by two other developing areas of low pressure.

(Photo Credit: Image : NASA/NOAA GOES Project)

By 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), Genevieve's winds increased to 45 mph (75 kph). The center of Tropical Storm Genevieve was located near latitude 12.3 north and longitude 135.5 west, moving 70 miles closer to South Point, Hawaii but still over 1,400 miles away. Genevieve was moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 kph) and NHC expects her to continue moving in a westerly direction over the next day or two. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 millibars.

NHC Forecaster Avila indicated that Genevieve's low-level center continues to be located to the west of the convection. The NHC doesn't expect Genevieve to strengthen because upper-level westerly winds are expected to move closer to the tropical storm and increase wind shear. Increased wind shear weakens tropical cyclones.

Trailing behind Genevieve to the storm's east are two other developing low pressure areas. Area #1 is located a little more than a thousand miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California, Mexico peninsula and is producing disorganized shower activity. The National Hurricane Center noted that there is some potential for development during the next day or two before the environment becomes unfavorable. Right now the low has a medium chance for development over the next two days as it moves to the west or west-northwest

East-southeast of Area #1 is the second developing low pressure area and south of Mexico's southern coast. That low, however is large and disorganized. The showers and thunderstorms in that area are associated with a tropical wave. Area #2 has a low chance for development over the next two days, according to NHC, but its chances are expected to improve five days out.

Source: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center