Tropical Storm Rachel May Strengthen Into A Hurricane

http://www.wunderground.com/news/tropical-storm-hurricane-rachel-20140924

Tropical Storm Rachel is expected to strengthen in the eastern Pacific Saturday, as it moves to the northwest.

Wind shear, or changing wind direction and/or speed with height, has weakened. For this reason, Rachel is expected to intensify through early Sunday and possibly become a hurricane. Then, the system will track over cooler water, more stable air and an area of stronger wind shear, inducing a weakening trend later in the weekend into early next week.

Rachel is forecast to turn more north-northwest and slow down by early next week. After that time, Rachel will turn to the southwest as it continues to weaken.

Rachel will stay well to the west of the Baja California peninsula, and therefore poses no threat to land.

Tropical Storm Rachel became the 17th named storm of the 2014 Eastern Pacific hurricane season September 24.

This is now the third busiest eastern Pacific hurricane season on record, as measured by the number of season-to-date named storms, according to The Weather Channel hurricane specialist Michael Lowry. Only 1992 (19 storms) and 1985 (20 storms) were busier, says Lowry.