According to weather.com (11:42 am 10/20/2009) Tropical Storm Rick is no longer considered a hurricane due to its quickly diminishing threat. It is now classified under a tropical storm and can weaken to just a tropical depression.

Upper-level wind shear and dry air have caused Tropical Storm Rick to weaken considerably from its peak intensity this past weekend.

As of 8 a.m. Pacific time Tuesday, the tropical storm had sustained winds of 65 miles per hour and was moving of to the north-northeast at 7 miles per hour. The center was located about 200 miles south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas.

An upper trough over the western United States will help to pull Rick northeastward toward the southern Baja Peninsula and western mainland Mexico with an increase in forward speed. The system should pass near or just to the south of Cabo San Lucas late tonight and early Wednesday and near the mainland Mexico Coast by Wednesday afternoon or evening.

For those who want to learn more about the delicate and balanced conditions to create a true hurricane, it might be fun to check out this interesting link from The Weather Channel: http://www.weather.com/newscenter/hurricanecentral/2009/rick.html?nav=4&#navbar