Georgette expected to develop in Eastern Pacific as Tropical Storm Frank spins off Mexican coast
Tropical Depression Eight-E formed Wednesday a few hundred miles northwest of Frank and is expected to become Tropical Storm Georgette
Tropical Storm Frank developed Tuesday in the Eastern Pacific and could become the basin's sixth hurricane of the season by this weekend. Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Eight-E formed northwest of Frank on Wednesday and is expected to become Tropical Storm Georgette.
As of Wednesday morning, Frank was located nearly 500 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was moving west-northwestward.
The National Hurricane Center said strong upper-level winds have kept Tropical Storm Frank weak and disorganized so far, but conditions should become more favorable for strengthening by Wednesday night as it drifts toward the west.
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Computer forecast models show a high-pressure system to the north of Frank will keep the system mostly on a west to west-northwest track through the end of the week before it turns northwestward this weekend.
Frank is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane by late Friday or early Saturday as it spins over the open waters of the Eastern Pacific.
On the forecast track, Frank will pass several hundred miles off the coast of Mexico and only be a threat to marine interests.
Large swells and dangerous rip currents are possible along Mexico’s western coast through the weekend and into the first week of August.
Rip currents are strong, narrow currents that move away from the shore and out to sea at high speed, occurring at any beach that has breaking waves – even the Great Lakes. They can occur on sunny days when one would believe it’s safe to swim in the ocean.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Pacific, Tropical Depression Eight-E formed Wednesday a few hundred miles northwest of Frank and well off the coast of Mexico.
The newly formed tropical depression is forecast to become a tropical storm later Wednesday or Wednesday night, and once it does so, it will receive the name "Georgette."
This system will track westward before making a gradual turn toward the west-southwest over the next couple of days.
Similar to Frank, future "Georgette" will only be a threat to marine interests as it remains over the open waters of the Eastern Pacific through early next week.
While the Eastern Pacific remains active, the Atlantic Basin is quiet and hasn't had a trackable feature since early July.
Meteorologists expect the lack of activity to continue through the end of the month.
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