This is the Enhanced Infrared satelitte of UNISYS. The chronic vortex over the Gulf of Mexico last week has worked up enough moisture content to generate a the storm off the west coast of Mexico.
Hurricane Paul is a Cat 2 so far (click on and page down). It's the only storm noted in the north and west hemisphere today.
There is a cold air mass which has decended from the Arctic Circle over the North American continent with noted absence of moisture off shore of both coasts below 36 N Latitude. There are drought conditions over the continent.
