First Hurricane of 2010 Reaches Category 2 Strength Tropical Wave Has 50% Potential For Development

June 22 Update: The Caribbean tropical wave has not become better organized today, so the chances of development in the next 48 hours have been reduced to 20%. However, environmental conditions are likely to become more favorable for slow development as it continues to move westward.

Original post:
Celia, which became the first hurricane of the 2010 Eastern Pacific season early Sunday afternoon, has reached Category 2 strength as of 8 pm EDT today. The storm is centered a little over 500 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico. It is moving west at about 8 mph. Although a more northerly track is expected later in the week, Celia is likely to remain well offshore.

Meanwhile, in the Atlantic Basin, a strong tropical wave in the central Caribbean is now given a 50% chance of developing into a depression in the next 48 hours. If a storm does develop, it has the potential of eventually moving northward into the Gulf of Mexico.

Image (click to enlarge): Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook as of 8:15 pm EDT, June 21, from National Hurricane Center