Tropical Storm Olaf forms in the Pacific

October 1, 2009



Tropical Storm Olaf, the seventeenth named storm of the ongoing 2009 Pacific hurricane season, formed today off the coast of Mexico.

As of 2 p.m. PDT (2100 UTC), Tropical Storm Olaf is located within 30 nautical miles of 19.4°N 117.8°W, or about 565 miles (905 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.

The cyclone is packing winds of 40 miles per hour (65 km/h), with stronger gusts. Minimum central pressure is 1002 mbar, and the system is moving west-northwest at 6 miles per hour (9 km/h).

The storm is expected to turn towards the northeast over coming days, which would bring it on a course towards Mexico. However, it is expected to begin weakening and dissipate before it approaches land. Forecasters say Olaf won't have much of an impact during its existence.

Hurricane season officially ends on November 30.