For the first time in recorded history, a tropical cyclone has formed in the eastern Pacific basin during the month of April. Tropical Depression One-E – the earliest tropical cyclone to form in the eastern Pacific east of 140°W – developed Saturday morning, and has a brief window to intensify into a tropical storm Saturday night before conditions become unfavorable.

As of 5:00 p.m. EDT/2:00 p.m. PDT Saturday, Tropical Depression One-E was centered near 14.5°N 116.9°W, and was moving northwestward at about 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 30 knots (35 mph), with an estimated minimum pressure of 1006 mb. One-E is not a particularly well-organized tropical cyclone, with a mass of deep convection south and east of the well-defined center. One-E has broken the record for earliest tropical cyclone in the eastern Pacific proper, previously held by Tropical Storm Adrian in 2017. Since the satellite era began in 1966, there have been pre-season tropical cyclones observed in the eastern Pacific in 1990, 2012, 2017, 2018 and 2020. Interestingly, only 1990 and 2018 finished above average in Accumulated Cyclone Energy. This suggests that Tropical Depression One-E is likely not an harbinger of an unusually active eastern Pacific hurricane season, and with La Niña development possible by Northern Hemisphere autumn, it is plausible the 2020 Pacific hurricane season could have below-to-near average activity.

If One-E acquires maximum sustained winds of at least 34 knots (39 mph) and becomes a tropical storm, it will be named Amanda. One-E is no threat to any land areas.