Tropical Storm Elida (1996)

Tropical Storm Elida was a strong tropical storm that killed 6 people offshore Mexico and affected over 1,000 others. The ninth tropical cyclone of the below-average 1996 Pacific hurricane season, Elida's origins was a tropical wave that organized into Tropical Depression Eight-E on August 30. The cyclone paralleled the coast of Mexico and also gradually decelerated. Despite some wind shear, Eight-E strengthened into a tropical storm on September 2 and was named Elida. On September 3 and 4, Elida came close to the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula at its peak intensity of 994 mbar (29.4 inHg) and winds of 65 mph (105 km/h). The cyclone then drifted into cooler waters, was devoid of deep convection on September 5, and dissipated the next day.

The storm was forecast slightly better than the long term averages for the eastern North Pacific. Elida posed enough of a threat to the Baja California Peninsula to require a tropical storm warning for the Baja California Peninsula south of Cabo San Lázaro on September 3. The warning was lifted on September 5 after the threat ended. Moderate to heavy rains fell in association with the tropical cyclone across southwest Mexico and the Baja California peninsula, with the maxima falling at San Marcos/Compostela in southwest mainland Mexico, which measured 6.60 in (168 mm), and a maximum for Baja California of 3.88 in (99 mm) at La Poza Honda/Comondu. While passing offshore, the tropical storm killed six people and affected 1,200 others, but the damages were minimal.