Norbert Forms as Pacific Season’s 16th Storm With Strengthening Ahead

Tropical Storm Norbert formed Thursday in the Eastern Pacific, becoming the basin’s 16th named storm of the season. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west about 685 miles southwest of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, with no coastal watches or warnings in effect. Forecasters expect gradual strengthening and say Norbert could become a hurricane by Saturday as it moves over warm waters. Long-range models indicate a possible general track toward Hawaii, but that outlook remains highly uncertain and could change substantially. The unusually active Pacific season, which has produced three major hurricanes, has been linked to a strengthening El Niño, while three storms this season have already affected Hawaii.