Hurricane Amanda: 2014 Hurricane Season's First Named Storm in the Eastern Pacific

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The first hurricane of the eastern Pacific hurricane season, Hurricane Amanda, formed Thursday afternoon as a tropical depression about 635 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and is moving toward the west-northwest. A turn more toward the north is likely later this weekend into early next week. Other than a few minor islands well offshore such as Socorro Island, it is no threat to land.

Amanda became the season's first hurricane Saturday morning, as a period of rapid intensification began. By Saturday evening, Amanda reached major hurricane status with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph. Major hurricanes are defined as those reaching at least 115 mph, or Category 3 on the five-category Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

Amanda became a Category 4 storm early Sunday morning, making it the second-strongest May hurricane on record in the eastern Pacific behind 2001's Hurricane Adolph. Slight additional strengthening is possible this weekend. Amanda will weaken early next week as vertical wind shear starts to disrupt its circulation.

Again, to reemphasize, this system is not expected to threaten the North American mainland.

[readon1 url="http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/tropical-storm-hurricane-amanda-20140523"]Source:www.weather.com [/readon1]