The first tropical depression of the eastern Pacific hurricane season, Tropical Depression One-E, formed Thursday afternoon about 635 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and is expected to continue drifting toward the west or west-northwest over the next several days. It is no threat to land. The depression is forecast to gather strength, and may become the season’s first tropical storm ("Amanda") anytime Friday. How strong this system ultimately becomes is still subject to uncertainty, given the potential for stronger winds aloft, providing wind shear, later this weekend. If that scenario does not occur, it’s possible we could be looking at a hurricane during the Memorial Day weekend.