Tropical Storm Agatha forms off the coast of Mexico

By Peta Sheerwood and Mike Maze, WRAL meteorologists

Tropical Storm Agatha developed Saturday off the coast of Mexico, according to the National Weather Service.

On Friday night, it became the first tropical depression of the 2022 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season. It could soon become the first storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

On Saturday, Agatha had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was moving west at 5 mph.

According to WRAL meteorologist Peta Sheerwood, the storm could take a turn toward the east, developing into a Cat. 1 hurricane by Sunday with the possibility to eventually become a Cat. 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds between 90 and 100 mph.

The storm could make its way onshore, moving across Mexico then weakening, bringing heavy rainfall to South America.

According to Sheerwood, the Caribbean and Florida could also see impacts from Agatha late next week.

Hurricane season officially begins on June 1.

The latest report on this year’s hurricane season predicts another above-average number of storms will form in the Atlantic Ocean.

Experts in North Carolina say the report comes as climate change is creating more powerful hurricanes and making their behavior more dangerous as well.

Researchers expect 19 named storms and four major hurricanes to form in the north Atlantic from June to November.