Former Tropical Storm Elida strengthened to a hurricane south of Baja California on Monday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Elida was located at latitude 19.6°N and longitude 110.9°W which put it about 235 miles (380 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Elida was moving toward the west-northwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.
The circulation around Hurricane Elida exhibited better organization on Monday afternoon. The inner end of a rainband was wrapping around the center of circulation. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Elida. The strongest thunderstorms were in bands in the southern and eastern parts of the hurricane. Bands in the northwestern part of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the core of Elida were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 20 miles (30 km) on the eastern side of the circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center.
Hurricane Elida will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Elida will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Elida will strengthen on Tuesday. Elida will move over cooler water during the middle of the week, which will cause it to weaken.
Hurricane Elida will move around the southern part of an ridge of high pressure that extended from northern Mexico over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The ridge will steer Elida toward the west-northwest during the next several days. On its anticipated track Hurricane Elida will gradually move farther away from Baja California.
