Tropical Depression One-E in the Eastern Pacific is forecast to become Tropical Storm Alvin well off the coast of Mexico on Thursday, marking the first named storm of the season to form in the Western Hemisphere. Where it is now:Tropical Depression One-E is located several hundred miles south of Mexico's Pacific Coast. It formed Wednesday afternoon and it's expected that this system will strengthen today into a tropical storm. (192-hours: Further beef up your forecast with our detailed, hour-by-hour breakdown for the next 8 days – only available on ourPremium Pro experience.) Is this a threat?:The latest National Hurricane Center forecast shows that future-Alvin should turn northwest through the end of the week and undergo some modest strengthening. It's not expected to become a hurricane. After that, it is expected to move into an even more hostile environment of wind shear, cooler water and drier air. That should cause this system to become a remnant area of low pressure by early this weekend before it nears Mexico's Baja Peninsula. High surf and rip currents are the only significant impacts that Mexico's Pacific coast will see from this system. Remnant moisture from future Alvin in combination with an upper low could also ignite an uptick in thunderstorms over the Southwest U.S. this weekend, especially by Sunday. The season is beginning:As senior meteorologistChris Dolcewrote about earlier this month, theEastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins on May 15, two weeks earlier than the Atlantic hurricane season. While many Eastern Pacific tropical storms and hurricanes move west-northwest and eventually fizzle in the open ocean, some do strike land, as we saw in 2023 with the remnant ofHurricane Hilaryin the Desert Southwest and with Category 5Hurricane Otisin Acapulco, Mexico. Sara Tonksis a content meteorologist with weather.com and has a bachelor's and a master's degree from Georgia Tech in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences along with a master's degree from Unity Environmental University in Marine Science.
