Baja, California. Photo: Shutterstock Tropical Storm Elida has formed in the Eastern Pacific, while forecasters are also monitoring a separate area of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the National Hurricane Center's 8 a.m. EDT outlook on July 15, an area of low pressure is expected to form over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico during the weekend. While development remains unlikely at this time, the system has been assigned a low chance of becoming a tropical cyclone as it moves northeastward along and eventually off the southeastern United States coast.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern North Pacific, Tropical Depression Five-E strengthened into Tropical Storm Elida early Wednesday morning.
As of 2 a.m. MST, Elida had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
The National Hurricane Center issued Public Advisory No. 3 after confirming the system had reached tropical storm strength. Elida is currently tracking westward over open waters of the Pacific Ocean, with no immediate impacts to land reported.
The simultaneous monitoring of systems in both the Atlantic and Pacific basins comes as the 2026 hurricane season enters one of its more active periods.
Residents along the southeastern U.S. coastline are encouraged to monitor updates from the National Hurricane Center as the Gulf disturbance evolves, while mariners in the Eastern Pacific should remain aware of Tropical Storm Elida's forecast track and intensity changes.