Tropical Depression Twenty-One-E Forms off Mexican Coast; May Become One of Latest Eastern Pacific Storms of Record

Jon Erdman
Published: November 18,2015

Tropical Depression Twenty-One-E formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, well off the Mexican coast. While it is no threat to land, this is expected to strengthen to Tropical Storm Rick soon, what would be a rare late November named storm in this basin.
Here are the latest statistics, forecast path and satellite imagery on this newly-formed system.

• Location: About 420 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.
• Movement: A slow crawl north, then expected to turn northwest, then west over the next few days, remaining far removed from the Mexican coast and, thus, no threat to land.
• Intensity: Should strengthen through Friday, taking advantage of anomalously warm water, despite some wind shear and dry air, before weakening due to increasing wind shear, becoming a remnant low this weekend.
• Rarity: According to NOAA's best track database, only four eastern Pacific tropical cyclones since 1949 have become tropical storms after November 18: Kenneth (Nov. 20, 2011), Sharon (Nov. 26, 1971), an unnamed tropical storm (Nov. 27, 1951) and Winnie (Dec. 4, 1983). This may occur roughly a month after the most intense hurricane on record in the Western Hemisphere, Hurricane Patricia, formed off the Mexican coast in late October.

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Status, Forecast Maps

Latest Position, Intensity, Movement

Forecast Path, Intensity

MORE: Hurricane Patricia Oct. 2015 (PHOTOS)